Nethra Kumanan grabbed bronze in the women’s dinghy at the Asian Games, ending a four‑year wait with a 14‑point finish.
She entered the final day with a medal on the cards, slipping to sixth in the first of the two finals before rallying to win the second race, tightening her lead. The decisive rally pushed her past Singapore’s Jania Ang into the bronze spot, leaving Thailand’s Sophia Montgomery with gold and Ang with silver.
The 29‑year‑old Chennai sailor had missed medals in her first two outings, finishing fourth in 2014 and 2018, before finally breaking the jinx in 2022. She had fought hard through the qualification races, gathering seven points before adding another seven in the finals.
India’s sailing haul swelled with Kumanan’s bronze, following silver in the men’s skiff by Manu Francis and Prince Noble and bronze in the women’s skiff by Harshita Tomar and Shital Verma. The collective haul signals growing depth in Indian sailing.
Kumanan now eyes the 2028 Olympics, hoping to translate her continental success into a global podium.