Asian Games: India women's hockey team chases gold after 44 years

India's women's hockey team will face China in the final, aiming for its first Asian Games gold in 44 years. Three Indian boxers, including Lovlina Borgohain, will also fight for gold, while archery teams eye final berths on a crucial Day 13.

Women's Hockey Team Eyes Historic Gold

India's women's hockey team will chase a first Asian Games gold in 44 years while three Indian boxers will fight for top honours as the country's medal hunt enters a crucial phase on Day 13 of the Aichi-Nagoya Games on Friday. The women's hockey final against defending champions China at 3:30 PM IST will be the biggest attraction of the day, with the winner also securing a direct qualification quota for the LA 2028 Olympics, according to Olympics.com.

India, which missed the Paris 2024 Olympics after failing to qualify, will be aiming to end a 44-year wait for the Asian Games women's hockey gold. The last time India stood atop the podium in the event was at the 1982 Asian Games. China, meanwhile, will provide a stern challenge after winning the Asian Games 2023 title and taking silver at the Paris 2024 Olympics.

Archery Teams in Gold Medal Contention

Archery will provide India with three more opportunities to fight for gold, with the women's, mixed and men's recurve team events all deciding medals. Ankita Bhakat, Kumkum Mohod and Kirti Sharma will face China in the women's team semi-final, while Kumkum and Dhiraj Bommadevara will take on Japan in the mixed team semi-final. Dhiraj, Neeraj Chauhan and Yashdeep Bhoge will meet Iran in the men's team semi-final. The mixed team event carries additional significance, with the champion National Olympic Committee set to earn one men's and one women's quota for LA 2028.

Three Boxers in Gold Medal Bouts

In boxing, Olympic medallist Lovlina Borgohain will headline India's challenge when she takes on China's Ziyi Bao in the women's 75kg final at 10 AM IST. Parveen Hooda will then face Olympic medallist Chen Nien-Chin of Chinese Taipei in the women's 65kg final at 2:15 PM, while Ankush Panghal will meet Republic of Korea's Minseong Kim in the men's 80kg final at 2:45 PM IST.

Wrestling Action

Wrestling will also offer four medal opportunities. Sujeet Kalkal (men's freestyle 65kg), Rajat Ruhal (125kg), Dipanshi (women's 50kg) and Priya Malik (76kg) will begin their respective campaigns, with the medal bouts scheduled later in the day for those who progress.

Action in Other Sports

India are already assured of a medal in men's quadrant sepaktakraw after reaching the semi-finals and will look to improve the colour of the medal. The women's team will also be in action against Thailand in the group stage.

Track cycling will see Harshveer Singh Sekhon and Vishavjeet Singh compete in the men's madison final, while Ronaldo Singh Laitonjam and David Beckham Elkatohchoongo will be in action in the men's keirin. Harshita Jakhar will compete in the women's omnium.

Kashish Malik will begin her campaign in the mixed individual virtual taekwondo event, while India will also feature in golf, sailing, canoe slalom, rugby sevens and volleyball.

In golf, Yuvraj Sandhu, Veer Ahlawat and Saptak Talwar will compete in the men's third round, while Aditi Ashok, Diksha Dagar and Pranavi Urs will lead India's women's challenge. Vishnu Saravanan and Nethra Kumanan will be among the Indians in sailing, while the women's rugby sevens team will face Malaysia in Pool E. The men's volleyball team will take on Republic of Korea in a classification match for fifth to eighth place.

With multiple gold-medal events and potential Olympic quotas at stake, Day 13 promises to be another significant day for India's campaign in Aichi-Nagoya. (ANI)

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