India secured three gold medals within a rapid thirty-minute span on October 2, 2026, at the Asian Games, with Sujeet Kalkal capturing the men’s 65kg freestyle wrestling title alongside boxing victories from Parveen Hooda and Ankush Panghal.
Friday turned into a golden afternoon for the Indian contingent at the Asian Games 2026, as three athletes topped their respective podiums in rapid succession. The flurry of titles pushed India’s overall medal count to 75, consolidating the country’s fifth position in the standings with 15 gold, 25 silver, and 35 bronze medals.
How Sujeet Kalkal Fought Back for Wrestling Gold in the 65kg Freestyle Final
Sujeet Kalkal delivered India’s first wrestling gold of the tournament during his debut appearance at the Games. The final match against Tajikistan’s Kudiev Abdulmazhid required a dramatic comeback after a difficult start.
Trailing 2-9 after the first round, the Indian grappler turned the bout around in the second period by shutting out his opponent 8-0 to secure a narrow 10-9 victory. Prime Minister Narendra Modi congratulated the wrestler on his memorable triumph in the 65kg freestyle category.
Parveen Hooda and Ankush Panghal Secure Boxing Titles in Separate Bouts
The wrestling gold preceded two boxing victories that unfolded within thirty minutes of each other. Parveen Hooda claimed the women’s 65kg boxing gold after a tense contest against Chinese Taipei’s Chen Nien-chin, an Olympic medalist.
Parveen took the opening round before Chen claimed the second, setting up a decisive third round where three judges scored in favor of the Indian boxer to seal a 3-2 decision based on technical superiority. Shortly after, Ankush Panghal dominated the men’s 80kg final against South Korea’s Kim Minseong, taking a 4-0 win after four of the five judges ruled in his favor while his opponent conceded points through overly aggressive tactics.
Where India Stands in the Medal Standings After the Golden Streak
The triple success pushed India’s gold tally to 15, while the broader medal haul reached 75 podium finishes. China leads the overall table with 314 total medals including 162 golds, followed by Japan with 238 medals and South Korea with 134, according to current standings.
While reaching the milestone of 100 total medals remains a challenging target, the exceptional performances across combat sports have strengthened India’s position in the top five as competition continues with upcoming finals in hockey and cricket.