Aichi-Nagoya, October 3 (HS): Indian wrestler Antim Panghal created history by winning the silver medal in the women’s 53kg category at the 2026 Asian Games. In the gold-medal bout held on Saturday, Antim was defeated 9-1 on points by Japan’s Moe Kiyooka. Despite the defeat, Antim secured India’s first-ever silver medal in the women’s 53kg category at the Asian Games. She had previously won a bronze medal in the same category at the 2022 Asian Games in Hangzhou.

In the gold-medal bout, the Japanese wrestler applied pressure from the outset and gave Antim little opportunity to stage a comeback. Antim eventually went down 1-9 and had to settle for the silver medal.

Antim Panghal had won bronze in the women’s 53kg category at the 2022 Asian Games. This time, she went one step further by claiming the silver medal. She now has one silver and one bronze medal from the Asian Games.

Aman Wins Gold, Deepak and Antim Add to India’s Medal Haul

Saturday proved to be a medal-rich day for Indian wrestling. Aman Sehrawat won the gold medal in the men’s freestyle 57kg category after defeating North Korea’s Chong Song Han 11-7 in the final.

Deepak Punia won the bronze medal in the men’s freestyle 97kg category by defeating Mongolia’s Gankhuyag Ganbaatar 2-1 in the bronze-medal bout. This was India’s first Asian Games medal in the weight category in 60 years. India had previously won a medal in this category in 1966, when Bhim Singh claimed bronze.

Meanwhile, in the men’s freestyle 74kg bronze-medal bout, India’s Sagar Jaglan was pinned within 30 seconds by Kazakhstan’s three-time world medallist Nurozha Kaipanov, leaving the Indian wrestler without a medal.

Aman Sehrawat’s gold was India’s second wrestling gold at the 2026 Asian Games. Sujeet Kalkal had earlier won gold on Friday in the men’s freestyle 65kg category.

At the Asian Games, India have won gold medals through Aman Sehrawat, Kumkum Anil Mohod, Pranavi Urse and the Indian men’s cricket team. In women’s golf, Pranavi Urse, Aditi Ashok and Diksha Dagar have won silver medals, while Neeraj Chauhan secured bronze in the men’s individual recurve archery event.

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Hindusthan Samachar / Jun Sarkar