Hangzhou: India’s remarkable ascent in the global sports arena received resounding validation at the 2023 Asian Games. The Indian contingent achieved a historic milestone by securing their highest-ever medal tally at the Games, and this achievement was realized with four and a half days of competition still ahead at the 19th edition of the event, hosted in Hangzhou. Surpassing their previous record of 70 medals from the 2018 Asian Games in Jakarta, India marked a new high by reaching 71 medals in the current edition, further solidifying their presence on the international sporting stage.
As the competition reached its tenth day, India was comfortably positioned in the fourth spot on the medal table with 69 medals. However, they didn’t take long to equal their Jakarta tally on Day 11. In a historic moment, Ram Baboo and Manju Rani clinched the bronze medal in the 35km race walk mixed team event, completing the race with a timing of 5 hours, 51 minutes, and 14 seconds.
While China secured the gold medal with a timing of 5 hours, 16 minutes, and 41 seconds, Japan claimed silver with a timing of 5 hours, 22 minutes, and 11 seconds. This bronze medal added to India’s tally and matched their best-ever performance at the Asian Games.
An hour later, India’s archers delivered a golden performance, solidifying this edition of the Asian Games as India’s best-ever. Jyothi Surekha Vennam and Pravin Ojas Deotale clinched gold in the compound archery mixed team event by narrowly defeating South Korea’s Chaewon So and Jaehoon Joo with a score of 159-158.
This victory marked India’s first gold in archery at these Games and took their overall medal tally to 71, thus equalling their best-ever gold medal count at the Asian Games. In total, India has secured 16 gold medals, 26 silver medals, and 29 bronze medals in this edition of the Asian Games, underscoring their emergence as a formidable force in the world of international sports.