NEW DELHI: India enjoyed a six-medal haul on a packed Friday at the Asian Games 2026 in Aichi-Nagoya, highlighted by a historic bronze for Baranica Elangovan in women’s pole vault and a shooting gold from Suruchi Singh and Kamaljeet. The day also brought silver medals for Gulveer Singh in the men’s 10,000m and India’s men’s 50m rifle 3-position team, besides bronze medals in women’s shot put and table tennis mixed doubles.Baranica’s achievement was the landmark moment, as she became the first Indian athlete to win an Asian Games medal in pole vault, across both the men’s and women’s events.The six medals took India’s tally to 23 — two gold, nine silver and 12 bronze.
Shooting finally strikes gold
Suruchi and Kamaljeet ended India’s wait for a shooting gold by dominating the 10m air pistol mixed team final.The Indian pair combined for 484.6, with Suruchi contributing 245.7 and Kamaljeet 238.9. Their total was a Games and Asian record as they led from start to finish.Asian Games Full Coverage | Medal Tally | ScheduleThe gold provided a boost to India’s shooting campaign after the contingent had endured disappointment in several 10m events earlier in the competition.India also secured silver in the men’s 50m rifle 3-position team event through Aishwary Pratap Singh Tomar, Rudrankksh Patil and Niraj Kumar. Their aggregate of 1762 left them four points behind China, who finished on 1766.Aishwary and Niraj also reached the individual final, finishing fifth and eighth respectively.
Baranica makes pole vault history
Baranica cleared 4.15m to finish joint third in the women’s pole vault final. Kazakhstan’s Polina Ivanova also cleared 4.15m, and the two athletes were level on attempts before both failed to clear 4.25m.With neither able to improve on 4.15m and both tied on the countback, Baranica and Ivanova shared the bronze medal.The result marked a first for Indian athletics at the Asian Games, with Baranica becoming the country’s first medallist in pole vault.Compatriot Sindhusree Ganesha, meanwhile, finished without a valid mark. She failed to clear 3.85m in two attempts before also missing at 4m.
Gulveer improves to silver
Long-distance runner Gulveer Singh added another athletics medal, upgrading the bronze he won in the men’s 10,000m at the previous Asian Games in Hangzhou to silver.The 28-year-old clocked 28:29.38 to finish behind Bahrain’s Birhanu Balew, who produced a late surge to win gold in 28:27.51. Balew’s compatriot Albert Kiptoo took bronze in 28:34.38.A Naib Subedar in the Indian Army, Gulveer stayed with the leading pack for much of the race and remained in medal contention deep into the final stages before Balew pulled clear.Gulveer has also been in strong form in recent years, winning gold in both the 5,000m and 10,000m at the 2025 Asian Athletics Championships. At the 2026 Commonwealth Games in Glasgow, he became the first Indian to win two track medals at a single edition, taking silver in the 10,000m and bronze in the 5,000m.
Manpreet adds shot put bronze
India’s other athletics bronze came from Manpreet Kaur in the women’s shot put final.Manpreet produced a best throw of 17.17m to finish third, while compatriot Krishna Jayasankar Menon was fifth with 16.57m.China’s Jiayoan Song won gold with 19.40m, while Linru Zhang took silver with 18.14m.
Badminton setback, squash and kabaddi boost
The day was not without disappointment for India. Defending badminton champions Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty suffered a first-round exit, losing 21-12, 19-21, 14-21 to Thailand’s Pakkapon Teeraratsakul and Peeratchai Sukphun.“It’s the mental part. Whenever we are mentally free, I think no one can beat us. But when we are stuck anywhere, we give opponents a chance to beat us,” Satwik said after the defeat.There was better news elsewhere. India’s men’s and women’s kabaddi sides stormed into their respective finals, keeping two more gold medals within reach.In squash, India assured themselves of three medals. Joshna Chinappa and Velavan Senthilkumar entered the mixed doubles semifinals, while Anahat Singh and Abhay Singh advanced to the last four in women’s and men’s singles respectively.Anahat defeated compatriot Tanvi Khanna 11-2, 11-5, 11-3, while Abhay beat Japan’s Ryonosuke Tsukue 11-4, 11-3, 11-6.India also secured a bronze in table tennis mixed doubles through Manush Shah and Diya Chitale, who lost their semifinal to China’s Wang Chuqin and Sun Yingsha.The women’s hockey side continued its unbeaten run with a 3-1 win over hosts Japan, while boxers Sachin Siwach advanced to the men’s 60kg quarterfinals. In athletics, India also secured places in the women’s 400m final through Kiran and Prachi, while Vishal TK advanced to the men’s 400m final.
