The 20th Asian Games in Aichi-Nagoya, Japan, concluded on October 4 after 16 days of competition, bringing together athletes from across Asia in one of the continent’s biggest sporting events. India finished fourth in the overall medal standings with 85 medals, including 21 gold, 27 silver and 37 bronze.
Held from September 19 to October 4, the Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games featured competition across 43 sports and 469 gold medal events. China topped the medal standings, followed by hosts Japan and South Korea, while India finished fourth.
For India, the 85-medal haul became the country’s second-highest medal tally in Asian Games history, after the record 107 medals won at the 2023 Hangzhou Games. The campaign also featured several historic performances, breakthrough victories and strong finishes in both individual and team events.
China Leads the Medal Standings
China once again emerged as the leading sporting nation at the Asian Games, finishing with 341 medals, including 169 gold. Host nation Japan followed with 267 medals, including 83 gold, while South Korea finished third with 149 medals and 38 gold.
India’s 21 gold medals placed it fourth overall, with the country’s silver and bronze medals taking its final tally to 85.
Athletics and Shooting Make Major Contributions
India’s medal campaign was driven by strong performances across several disciplines. Athletics emerged as one of the country’s biggest contributors, producing 24 medals, while shooting added 15 and archery contributed nine.
Shooting delivered one of the memorable moments of the Games when Neeru Dhanda ended India’s 48-year wait for a women’s trap gold at the Asian Games. She also set an Asian record in the mixed trap event alongside Kynan Chenai. Dhanda later carried the Indian flag at the closing ceremony.
Archery also produced historic results. Kumkum Anil Mohod became the first Indian woman to win an individual recurve gold at the Asian Games. The Indian women’s recurve team also defeated South Korea, ending the country’s long-standing dominance in the event.
Cricket, Hockey and Kabaddi Add Gold
India’s team sports produced some of the biggest celebrations of the Games. Both the men’s and women’s cricket teams won gold medals, giving India a clean sweep in the sport. The men’s team defeated Pakistan in the final, while the women’s side also finished on top.
The Indian men’s hockey team secured another gold after defeating Malaysia 5-1 in the final. The victory also secured India’s qualification for the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics.
Kabaddi added further success, with India winning gold in both the men’s and women’s competitions.
Golf also witnessed a historic Indian victory. Pranavi Urs won India’s first-ever Asian Games gold medal in the women’s individual golf event, adding another milestone to the country’s campaign.
Boxing and Emerging Talent
Boxing contributed three gold medals, including one from Lovlina Borgohain, who became only the second Indian woman to win an Asian Games boxing gold after Mary Kom.
The Games also provided a platform for India’s younger athletes. 15-year-old Vaibhav Sooryavanshi became India’s youngest medallist at the Asian Games, while veteran shooter Mairaj Ahmad Khan, aged 50, was among the country’s oldest medallists.
The campaign was not without disappointments, with some of India’s expected medal contenders missing out in their respective events. However, the late surge across athletics, shooting, archery and other disciplines helped India consolidate its fourth-place finish.
As the Aichi-Nagoya Games came to a close, India’s 85-medal campaign stood out for its combination of established champions, historic firsts and emerging sporting talent. The results also continued the country’s upward trajectory in several Olympic and Asian Games disciplines.
With the next Asian Games scheduled to take place in Doha, Qatar, in 2030, India’s performance in Aichi-Nagoya provides another marker of the country’s growing presence across the Asian sporting landscape.