India’s women’s hockey squad outsmarted defending champions China 1-0 in a tense finale, with Lalremsiami’s reverse‑stick strike in the 10th minute sealing a historic gold.
Bichu Devi’s shot‑stopper heroics and a line‑up of defenders who shrugged off waves of pressure kept the margin alive, even as China kept chipping for a draw. The match, delayed by an hour due to a traffic jam, saw India strike early and then hold on brilliantly.
Across the field, boxing exploded: Lovlina Borgohain, Parveen Hooda, and Ankush Panghal all finished atop their brackets, turning a 5‑0 win, a 3‑2 split decision, and a hard‑fought victory into gold. Meanwhile, wrestler Sujeet Kalkal staged a dramatic turnaround, erasing a 2‑9 deficit to win the men’s 65kg final 10‑9.
Archery also tasted victory; the women’s recurve trio of Ankita, Kirti, and 17‑year‑old Kumkum Mohod toppled South Korea 5‑3, marking India’s first gold in the event. Kumkum then joined Dhiraj Bommadevara for a silver in the mixed team, while the men’s recurve squad took a silver against South Korea.
With 76 medals, including 16 gold, India now sits in fifth place, eclipsing Uzbekistan but still four golds shy of fourth. The haul lifts confidence as the Games head to their final stretch, with the team eyeing the 2028 Olympics and a chance to cement a legacy.