India’s Baranica Elangovan etched her name in history by clinching a bronze medal in women’s pole vault at the Asian Games 2026, becoming the first Indian woman to achieve this feat.
The 29‑year‑old cleared 4.15m, tying with Kazakhstan’s Polina Ivanova for a joint bronze after both athletes registered identical attempts and failures at 4.25m. This landmark medal adds to India’s growing athletics tally at the Games.
India’s shooting contingent also celebrated success as Suruchi Singh and Kamaljeet struck gold in the 10m air pistol mixed team event, setting a Games and Asian record with a combined score of 484.6 points. Suruchi contributed 245.7, while Kamaljeet added 238.9 to secure a dominant win.
Long‑distance runner Gulveer Singh added a silver in the 10,000m, showcasing India’s depth in athletics. However, badminton brought disappointment as defending men’s doubles champions Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty suffered a shock first‑round exit against Thailand’s Pakkapon Teeraratsakul and Peeratchai Sukphun.
Meanwhile, India’s kabaddi teams continued their dominance. The women’s team stormed into the final with a 48‑24 win over Nepal, while the men’s team crushed Thailand 66‑28, keeping alive hopes of retaining their titles.
