Current Affairs - Sports

India won its maiden Asian Games gold medal in the women’s recurve archery team category at the 19th Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games. The Indian team of Ankita Bhakat, Kirti Sharma and Kumkum Anil Mohod defeated South Korea 5-3 in the gold medal final. India had earlier secured a bronze medal in the same event at the 2023 Hangzhou Asian Games. Before reaching the final, the Indian team defeated China 5-1 in the semifinal. The historic victory marked India’s first-ever gold medal in the women’s recurve team event at the Asian Games and highlighted the strong performance of Indian archers on the international stage.

Sujeet Kalkal won the men’s freestyle 65kg wrestling gold medal at the Asian Games 2026, securing India’s first wrestling gold at the Games. In the final at the Nagoya City Inae Sports Centre, Kalkal defeated Tajikistan’s Abdulmazhid Kudiyev 10-9 after making a remarkable comeback from a 2-9 deficit. He scored eight successive points to overturn the result in his favour and claim his maiden Asian Games gold medal. Earlier in the tournament, Kalkal defeated wrestlers from Afghanistan and Iran before overcoming Japan’s Olympic champion Kotaro Kiyooka in the semifinal. The victory marked a significant achievement for the 23-year-old Indian wrestler.

Shubman Gill scored 223 runs off 133 balls against the West Indies at Barsapara Cricket Stadium, Guwahati, on September 30, 2026. He reached his double century in just 117 balls, breaking Ishan Kishan’s previous record of 126 balls. Gill’s remarkable innings included 26 fours and eight sixes and helped India chase the West Indies’ total of 405/7. India reached 406/2 in 43.3 overs and won by eight wickets. Gill also scored his century in 62 balls, setting a new record for the fastest ODI century by an Indian captain. The performance further strengthened his outstanding ODI record in 2026.

Neeru Dhanda, Aashima Ahlawat and Manisha Keer won the silver medal for India in the women’s trap team event at the 2026 Asian Games in Aichi-Nagoya. The Indian team recorded a combined score of 328 points after the qualification round. China won the gold medal with 346 points, while Kuwait secured the bronze with 325 points. Neeru Dhanda also achieved an individual qualification for the women’s trap final after scoring 118 points and topping the qualification round alongside another shooter. Aashima Ahlawat and Manisha Keer did not qualify for the individual final.

Dhiraj Bommadevara set a new Asian Games men’s recurve qualification record on September 27, 2026, in Okazaki City, Japan. He scored 698 points out of a possible 720, surpassing the previous record of 690 points held by South Korea’s Lee Woo Seok. Bommadevara also partnered with Kumkum Mohod as India secured the second seed in the recurve mixed team qualification. India qualified second in the men’s recurve team ranking behind South Korea. The 2026 Asian Games in Japan are the 20th edition of the multi-sport event and are governed by the Olympic Council of Asia.