Aichi-Nagoya, October 2: Lovlina Borgohain won the women’s 75kg boxing gold at the Asian Games 2026 on Friday, her 29th birthday, beating China’s Bao Ziyi 5-0 in the final. Hours earlier, India’s women’s recurve archery team beat South Korea 5-3 to win the country’s first Asian Games gold in the event.
The two golds came on a busy morning for India in Japan. The men’s recurve team and the recurve mixed pair both took silver, and Harshita Tomar and Shital Verma won bronze in the women’s skiff in sailing.
There was more to come later in the day, with the women’s hockey team playing China for gold and two more Indian boxers in finals.
Lovlina ends 12-year wait
Lovlina won every round on the judges’ cards against Bao, boxing on the counter as the Chinese pressed forward. The unanimous decision completed an unbeaten run through the 75kg draw.
It is India’s first women’s boxing gold at the Asian Games in 12 years. The last came from MC Mary Kom, who won the 51kg title at Incheon in 2014. Lovlina is only the second Indian woman to win Asian Games boxing gold.
The result also settles unfinished business. At the last Asian Games, Lovlina lost the 75kg final to another Chinese boxer, Li Qian, and went home with silver. In the semi-final here she edged Kazakhstan’s Natalya Bogdanova 3-2.
The Tokyo 2020 Olympic bronze medallist from Golaghat in Assam was world champion in 2023 and won silver at the Commonwealth Games this year.
Boxing Federation of India president Ajay Singh called her “a huge role model” for girls across the country.
“She boxed wonderfully well and after all the criticism that she faced in the Commonwealth Games, to come back so strongly shows her great resolve,” Singh said. “This is the best birthday gift that she could have given herself and given to all of us. She went through a very difficult period physically, mentally.”
Parveen and Ankush fight for gold
India have two more boxing finals on Friday. Parveen Hooda meets Chinese Taipei’s Chen Nien-chin in the women’s 65kg final from 5.30pm IST at the Nishio City General Gymnasium. Parveen beat China’s Li Shu 5-0 in her semi-final.
Ankush Panghal faces South Korea’s Kim Minseong in the men’s 80kg final. Ankush reached it with a 4-1 win over Uzbekistan’s Fazliddin Erkinboev.
“We hope that at least one of those two will be converted to a gold,” Singh said.
Priya Ghanghas (60kg), Kapil Pokhariya (90kg) and Narender Berwal (+90kg) have already won bronze. India’s best Asian Games boxing haul is nine medals, at Guangzhou 2010.
Women archers stop South Korea’s run
Ankita Bhakat, Kirti Sharma and 17-year-old Kumkum Mohod beat South Korea 5-3 in the women’s recurve team final. South Korea had won the event at the last seven Asian Games.
The first two sets were level, 54-54 and 56-56. India took the third 55-51 to go 4-2 up, and a 54-54 fourth set was enough to close out the match.
Three South Korean archers finished in the top four in qualification, while the Indian trio were ranked 10th, 20th and 25th. India beat China 5-1 in the semi-final.
Kumkum, from Maharashtra, hit crucial perfect scores in the closing stages. Ankita’s experience steadied the team in the tight early sets.
“We were just focusing on our aim, what we have to do. And we have done that,” Kirti said.
India won bronze in the same event at the last Asian Games in Hangzhou.
Two silvers in recurve
Kumkum was back on the line soon after with Dhiraj Bommadevara in the mixed team final. The pair lost 3-5 to China and took silver.
Dhiraj, Yashdeep Bhoge and Neeraj Chauhan then lost the men’s recurve team final 1-5 to South Korea. It is India’s second straight silver in the men’s team event at the Asian Games.
India reached all three recurve team finals on the day. In May, the recurve squad ended a five-year wait for a World Cup gold in Shanghai.
Hockey final against China
The women’s hockey team play China in the gold-medal match from 3.30pm IST. India reached the final with a 2-0 win over South Korea. China beat India in the Hangzhou final.
India v Pakistan in the cricket final
India’s men will play Pakistan for the cricket gold in Nisshin on Saturday, October 3. Bangladesh and Sri Lanka meet for bronze on the same day.
India crushed Sri Lanka in their semi-final at the Korogi Sports Park. Ishan Kishan made an unbeaten 80 off 46 balls, with four fours and five sixes, and Vaibhav Sooryavanshi added 38 off 21 as India posted 169 for seven in 20 overs. Jasprit Bumrah struck in the first over of the reply and Sri Lanka were bowled out for 45 in 9.4 overs.
Pakistan beat Bangladesh in the other semi-final, chasing 112 to finish on 114 for four. Towhid Hridoy top-scored for Bangladesh with 42 off 25 balls in their 111 for seven in a 13-over game. Sufyan Moqim took three wickets, and Abdul Samad finished unbeaten on 30 off 15 balls.
India’s medal tally
Lovlina’s gold took India to 70 medals at the Games.
| Gold | Silver | Bronze | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| 12 | 24 | 34 | 70 |
China lead the medal table, ahead of hosts Japan and South Korea. The Games end on October 4.
