Asian Games 2026: India Wins Women’s Trap Team Silver; Gulveer Eyes Third Medal

India added a women’s trap team silver to its Asian Games campaign on Tuesday, with Neeru, Aashima Ahlawat and Manisha Keer combining for 328 points in Aichi-Nagoya. The shooting success opened a busy day of medal pursuits, with Gulveer Singh chasing his third podium finish and three Indian boxers preparing for semifinals.

China claimed the trap team gold with 346 points, while India finished three points ahead of bronze medallist Kuwait. Neeru led the Indian effort with 118 out of 125, followed by Aashima with 106 and Manisha with 104.

Neeru also finished joint-top in individual qualification, earning a place in the final.

The silver came as weightlifter Mirabai Chanu returned to New Delhi with her maiden Asian Games medal, describing the achievement as the fulfilment of a years-long ambition.

Chanu’s Long Wait Ends

Chanu won silver in the women’s 49kg category with a total lift of 198kg, comprising 87kg in the snatch and 111kg in the clean and jerk. North Korea’s Ri Song Gum took gold with 215kg.

“I am overjoyed. I had been waiting for this day for years,” Chanu said after arriving in New Delhi on Tuesday.

“I’ve added the Asian Games medal to my collection, and having achieved something for India and for weightlifting, I am absolutely delighted.”

The result brought relief after her disappointment at Hangzhou in 2023, where an injury prevented her from completing her final clean and jerk attempt and she finished fourth.

“These Asian Games were crucial for me because I had suffered an injury during the previous ones. So, this was my best opportunity to prove myself,” she said.

The Tokyo Olympic silver medallist said her team had approached the competition with a clear lifting strategy.

“We were determined not to let this opportunity slip away. We went onto the stage with a clear strategy regarding the weights, deciding exactly what to attempt and where to start,” she said.

Archers Advance, Squash Team Stays Unbeaten

Dhiraj Bommadevara and Neeraj Chauhan reached the men’s recurve individual quarterfinals with victories in their respective round-of-16 matches.

Dhiraj beat Chinese Taipei’s Cheng Hsiang-Hui 6-2 after sweeping past the Philippines’ Girvin Garcia 6-0 in the previous round. Neeraj defeated South Korea’s Kim Je-deok 6-4, having earlier overcome Indonesia’s Riau Ega Agata Salsabilla by the same margin.

India’s women’s squash team also progressed to the quarterfinals after beating Iran 3-0 to finish its pool campaign with three wins from three matches.

Tanvi Khanna won after Narges Soltani retired during the opening game. Anahat Singh then defeated Fereshteh Eghtedari 11-5, 11-4, 11-7, before Joshna Chinappa completed the sweep with an 11-1, 11-3, 11-9 victory over Najmeh Boushehrizadeh.

There were setbacks elsewhere. Surfer Kishore Kumar Anbarasu lost his men’s shortboard quarterfinal 5.37-8.53 to the Philippines’ Toby Espejon, while Vipin Kumar went down 0-3 to South Korea’s Hoon Hyeon-su in the men’s 66kg kurash round of 16.

In track cycling, Rojit Singh, David Beckham and Ronaldo Singh placed seventh among eight teams in men’s team sprint qualification. Celestina, Sarita Kumari and Keerthi Rangaswamy Chikka finished sixth in the six-team women’s field.

Gulveer Targets a Third Silver—or Better

Having already won silver in the men’s 1500m and 10,000m, Gulveer Singh will chase a third medal in the 5000m final. Avinash Sable will also compete, seeking a podium finish after missing out in the steeplechase.

The final day of athletics offers India several other opportunities. Dev Meena and Kuldeep Kumar will contest the men’s pole vault final, while Pooja Singh and Supriya Sindigere Basavaraju will compete in the women’s high jump.

Tanya Chaudhary and Anushka Yadav will compete in the women’s hammer throw. Pooja will run in the women’s 800m final, while Mohammed Afsal Pulikkalakath will contest the men’s event.

India will also compete in three relay finals: the mixed 4x100m, women’s 4x400m and men’s 4x400m.

Three Boxers Chase Final Berths

Parveen Hooda, Ankush Panghal and Narender Berwal are already assured of at least bronze and will now seek places in their respective finals.

Parveen faces China’s Li Shu in the women’s 65kg semifinal. Ankush takes on Uzbekistan’s Fazliddin Erkinboev in the men’s 80kg semifinal, while Narender meets Kazakhstan’s Aibek Oralbay in the men’s +90kg category.

India’s men’s volleyball team will meet Qatar in a match that could determine the Pool C leaders. Sumit Nagal and Dhakshineswar Suresh are also scheduled to play their men’s singles second-round tennis matches.

India ended Monday, Day 9, in 12th place with 45 medals: four gold, 20 silver and 21 bronze. Tuesday’s women’s trap team silver adds to that overnight tally.

With inputs from ANI