Photo via Hindustan Times

Late surge, gold rush: India’s Asian Games 2026 journey ends on a high with historic firsts and second-best medal haul

India concluded its campaign at the 2026 Asian Games in Aichi-Nagoya with a powerful late surge, securing fourth place in the overall standings with 85 total medals, featuring 21 golds, 27 silvers, and 37 bronzes. Despite a reduced delegation of 495 competitors selected strictly by medal potential, the final medal count marked the country's second-best continental performance following the previous edition in Hangzhou.

The closing days featured several historic breakthroughs, highlighted by 17-year-old Kumkum Mohod capturing archery recurve gold and 23-year-old Pranavi Urs becoming the first Indian woman to win a continental golf title. Additional gold performances came from Aman Sehrawat in wrestling, alongside triumphs by both the men's cricket squad over Pakistan and the men's hockey team against Malaysia.

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