The 19th edition of the Asian Games kicked off on 23 September, with the opening ceremony in Hangzhou, China. India’s contingent at the Games this year is one of the largest ever, with 655 athletes participating across 41 disciplines.
India currently sits at fourth in the medal table, with 16 gold medals, 26 silver and 29 bronze for a total of 71. 16 golds is the joint-best tally for the country, equalling the number won in 2018 in Jakarta. India won 15 gold medals at the first-ever Asian Games in 1951.
Perhaps more significantly, the medal which sealed India’s 16th gold also ensured that the country secured its best-ever total medal tally.
India surpass best-ever Asian Games medal tally with archery gold
In the archery compound bow mixed team final, Indian pair Jyothi Surekha Vennam and Ojas Pravin Deotale went up agaisnt South Korea’s Chaewon So and Jaehoon Joo.
The Indians shot a near-perfect 159/160, pipping their opponents, who got 158, to the gold medal. This was also India’s second-ever gold medal in archery at the Asian Games after Rajat Chauhan, Sandeep Kumar and Abhishek Verma won the compound mens’ team event in 2014.
MORE: Updated list of all Indian medal winners at 2023 Asian Games
India now stand at 71 medals overall, with 5 days’ worth of events still to come, which in all likelihood means the country will smash its previous record of 70 medals in 2018.
| Year | Host City | Total Medals |
|---|---|---|
| 2023 | Hangzhou | 71 (ongoing) |
| 2018 | Jakarta & Palembang | 70 |
| 2010 | Guangzhou | 65 |
| 1982 | New Delhi | 57 |
| 2014 | Incheon | 57 |