Japan Asian Games: India Finishes Fourth with 85 Medals Despite Star Setbacks

India concluded its campaign at the Japan Asian Games with 85 medals and finished fourth in the overall standings, matching its position from the previous edition. Although India could not cross the 100-medal mark achieved in 2022, the performance remained commendable considering the injuries, withdrawals and unexpected setbacks faced by several athletes. The Games also produced some memorable breakthroughs, with relatively lesser-known athletes stepping up when the established stars struggled. Kunkum created history by becoming the first Indian woman to win an individual recurve gold at the Asian Games, while also contributing to the women’s recurve team’s historic victory over South Korea. Wrestler Sujit Kalakal produced a stunning comeback in the final seconds to clinch gold, while Neeru Danda created history by winning India’s first women’s trap gold and collected three medals overall. Pranavi Sharath became India’s first woman golfer to win an Asian Games individual gold, while Vidya Ramraj secured three medals in athletics.

At the same time, several high-profile athletes could not deliver as expected. PV Sindhu exited in the quarterfinals, while the celebrated Satwik Sairaj Rankireddy-Chirag Shetty pair suffered a shock first-round defeat and returned without a medal. Double Olympic medallist Manu Bhaker also endured a disappointing campaign without a medal across her individual and team events. Archer Jyothi Surekha Vennam missed out on a medal despite being among the favourites, while shot-putter Tajinderpal Singh Toor had to settle for silver after winning gold at the previous two Asian Games. Injuries also played a major role, with Neeraj Chopra missing the Games and several athletes, including Jyothi Yarraji and others, forced to withdraw or retire from events because of fitness issues. Despite these setbacks, India’s strong performances across disciplines ensured a memorable fourth-place finish.