Compound archers, shooters power India's most successful day at Asian Games

India's Asian Games campaign finally found its stride as the compound archers swept all three team gold medals and trap shooters Neeru Dhanda and Kynan Chenai added another top prize, making Wednesday the country's most productive day at the ongoing Games.

India also collected bronze medals in boxing through Priya Ghanghas and Kapil Pokhariya and in wrestling through Sunil Kumar to take its overall tally to 60 medals -- 10 gold, 21 silver and 29 bronze -- and climb from 10th to seventh place.

The day belonged to the compound archers, who successfully defended their men's, women's and mixed team titles.

Jyothi Surekha Vennam, Chikitha and Prithika Pradeep began the gold rush by beating China's Wunier, Yue Wang and Fangyao Wei 238-234 in the women's final. India's score equalled the world record.

Chikitha and Sahil Jadhav then held their nerve to defeat Korea's Jungyoon Park and Choi Eun Gyu 158-157 after a shoot-off in the mixed team final.

The victory also earned India an Olympic quota place, making the country the first to qualify for the 2028 Los Angeles Games in the compound mixed team event, which will make its Olympic debut there.

The men's team of Kushal Dalal, Sahil and Ganesh Mani Ratnam Thirumuru completed the clean sweep by edging China's Jiahao Liao, Jinyi Liu and Jingyu Shi 238-237.

For Chikitha and Sahil, it was a second gold of the day.

At the shooting range, Neeru and Kynan overcame a difficult start to win the trap mixed team gold with an Asian and Games record score of 34.

Neeru, who had already won the historic individual trap gold, thus added another medal to her haul after also being part of India's women's trap team that won silver.

In the evening, India's women's hockey team also booked its place in the final with a 2-0 win over Korea, assuring itself at least a silver medal and improving on the bronze won at the previous edition.

Strong show in boxing; wrestling delivers bronze

India has already surpassed its boxing medal count from the Hangzhou Games, with six medals assured compared with four in 2023.

Lovlina Borgohain, the last edition's silver medallist and an Olympic bronze medallist, edged reigning 70kg world champion Natalya Bogdanova of Kazakhstan 3-2 in the 75kg semifinal to book another Asian Games final.

Debutant Priya, however, lost 1-4 to former world champion Yang Chengyu of China in the 60kg semifinal, while another first-timer, Kapil, suffered a similar 1-4 defeat against reigning world champion Turabek Khabibullaev of Uzbekistan in the 90kg semifinal.

Lovlina, Parveen Hooda (65kg) and Ankush Panghal (80kg) will fight for gold on Friday. Priya, Kapil and super-heavyweight boxer Narender Berwal have secured bronze medals.

In wrestling, Sunil became the first Indian Greco-Roman wrestler to win two Asian Games medals after taking bronze in the men's 87kg category. He had also won bronze at Hangzhou, ending India's 13-year wait for a Greco-Roman medal.

Sunil secured his latest podium finish with a 9-0 technical superiority win over the Philippines' Roberts Callum Johnston.

Nisha Dahiya, meanwhile, finished without a medal in the women's 68kg event.

India secures squash medals

India's men's and women's squash teams also advanced to the semifinals with convincing quarterfinal victories, assuring the country of medals.

The top-seeded men's team and defending champions beat Kuwait 2-0. Veer Chotrani overcame Bader Almogghrebi 12-10, 8-11, 11-0, 11-5 in 34 minutes before Abhay Singh, the country's highest-ranked player and singles silver medallist, defeated Ammar Altamimi 11-3, 11-4, 11-8.

In the women's quarterfinal, the Anahat Singh-led Indian team beat Singapore 2-0.

Tanvi Khanna fought past Au Yeong Wai Iynn 11-6, 4-11, 15-13, 11-1 in 32 minutes before 18-year-old Anahat, the individual silver medallist, defeated Au Yeong Wai Yhann 11-7, 11-3, 11-4 in 22 minutes.

Veteran Joshna Chinappa, who also has a mixed doubles bronze, did not need to take the court.

Nagal advances, doubles teams bow out

Sumit Nagal moved into the men's singles quarterfinals with a comfortable 6-3, 6-2 win over Uzbekistan's Sergey Fomin. He will next face third seed Yibing Wu of China.

Dhakshineswar Suresh was eliminated after a 3-6, 4-6 defeat to sixth seed Chun-Hsin Tseng of Chinese Taipei.

India's men's doubles campaign also ended in the quarterfinals. N Sriram Balaji and Anirudh Chandrasekar lost a tight contest to China's Fumin Chiang and Tianhui Ziang 7-6(4), 6-7(7), 8-10.

Yuki Bhambri and Dhakshineswar also bowed out after losing 6-7(5), 3-6 to Chinese Taipei's Yu-Hsiou Hsu and Chenjui Ho.

India endured a disappointing day in canoeing, esports, sepaktakraw and cycling, with none of its participants progressing beyond the preliminary stages.