Barring some saving graces, there wasn’t much for the Indian contingent to cheer at the Asian Games in Incheon. Four years ago in Guangzhou, India had finished a creditable sixth with 14 gold, 17 silver and 34 bronze (65 overall) medals. However, at Incheon 2014, they slumped to 8th spot with 11 gold, 10 silver and 36 bronze (57 overall) medals.
China topped the medal tally with 151 gold, 108 silver and 83 bronze medals. Hosts Korea finished second spot with 79 gold, 71 silver and 84 bronze medals. The third spot went to Japan, which won 47 gold, 76 silver and 77 bronze medals.
Indian Men’s Archery team made history by winning the gold in compound event. The Men’s Squash team too struck gold. India got a rich overhaul of medals from Archery and Squash – a positive sign for these games, which were subjected to government apathy for long. The Men’s Hockey team created history by winning the gold medal after a gap of 32 years. They also automatically qualified for the Rio 2016 Olympics.
India’s dominance in Kabaddi continued unabated, as both Men’s and Women’s teams won the gold. Boxer Mary Kom won her first Gold at the Asian Games. The mother of three kids, proved her mettle to raise the Indian tricolour. Jitu Rai was the only saving grace in Shooting, as he won the gold on the very first day. In Tennis, Sania Mirza and her partner Saket Myneni won the Mixed Doubles gold. In Tennis, India won five medals, which included one gold and one silver. At Guangzhou, Indian Tennis team had won two gold medals.
In Wrestling, Yogeshwar Dutt brought glory to the country with a gold medal. The biggest disappointment came in Badminton where India managed to get just one bronze medal. In Athletics, four silver medals by Khushbir Kaur (Women’s 20km Race Walk), Vikas Gowda (Men’s Discus Throw), Tintu Luka (Women’s 800m) and Manju Bala (Women’s Hammer Throw) brought cheer to the Indian camp. But, less number of gold medals here, has spoiled the mood to a great extent. India won 2 gold, 4 silver and 7 bronze medals in Athletics.
The controversy surrounding Boxer L. Sarita Devi’s shocking loss in the semifinals, brought huge disappointment to India. Sarita was robbed off a better medal by the biased judges who favoured her depleted Korean opponent. The role of Indian officials too came under the scanner in the whole episode.
Gold Medal Winners:
1. Rajat Chauhan, Sandeep Kumar and Abhishek Verma (Archery – Compound Men’s Team)
2. Priyanka Pawar, Tintu Luka, Mandeep Kaur and Poovamma Machettira (Athletics – Women’s 4x400m Relay)
3. Seema Punia (Athletics – Women’s Discus Throw)
4. MC Mary Kom (Boxing)
5. Men’s Team (Hockey)
6. Men’s Team (Kabaddi)
7. Women’s Team (Kabaddi)
8. Jitu Rai (Shooting – Men’s 50m Pistol)
9. Saurav Ghosal, Harinder Pal Singh Sandhu, Mahesh Mangaonkar, Kush Kumar (Squash – Men’s Team)
10. Sania Mirza and Saketh Myneni (Tennis – Mixed Doubles)
11. Yogeshwar Dutt (Men’s Wrestling)
Silver Medal Winners:
1. Abhishek Verma (Men’s Compound Archery)
2. Khushbir Kaur (Women’s 20km Race Walk)
3. Vikas Gowda (Men’s Discus Throw)
4. Tintu Luka (Women’s 800m)
5. Manju Bala (Women’s Hammer Throw)
5. Pemba Tamang, Gurpreet Singh and Vijay Kumar (Shooting – Men’s 25m Centre Fire Pistol Team)
6. Saurav Ghosal (Men’s Singles)
7. Dipika Pallikal, Joshana Chinappa, Anaka Alankamony and Aparajitha Balamurukan (Women’s Team Squash)
8. Saketh Myneni and Sanam Singh (Men’s Doubles Tennis)
9. Bajrang (Men’s Wrestling)
Bronze Medal Winners:
1. Trisha Deb (Compound Women’s Archery)
2. Purvasha Shende, Jyothi Vennam, Trisha Deb (Women’s Compound Team Archery)
3. Rajiv Arokia (Athletics – Men’s 400m)
4. Poovamma Maachettira (Athletics – Women’s 400m)
5. Lalita Babar (Athletics – Women’s 3000m Steeplechase)
6. OP Jaisha (Athletics – Women’s 1500m)
7. Naveen Kumar (Athletics – Men’s 3000m Steeplechase)
8. Inderjeet Singh (Athletics – Men’s Shot Put)
9. Annu Rani (Athletics – Women’s Javelin Throw)
10. Ashwini Ponnappa, PC Thulasi, Tanvi Uday, Pradnya Gadre, Saina Nehwal, PV Sindhu, Sikki Reddy (Badminton Women’s Team)
11. Vikas Krishan (Boxing)
12. Satish Kumar (Boxing)
13. L. Sarita Devi (Boxing)
14. Pooja Rani (Boxing)
15. Women’s Team (Hockey)
16. Swarn Singh (Rowing – Men’s Single Sculls)
17. Kapil Sharma, Ranjit Singh, Bajrang Lal Takhar, Robin Ulahannan, Sawan Kumar, Mohammad Azad, Maninder Singh, Davinder Singh, Mohammed Ahmed (Rowing – Men’s Eight)
18. Dushyaht Dushiant (Rowing – Men’s Single Sculls)
19. Varsha Gautham and Aishwarya Nedunchezhiyan (Sailing – 29er Women’s Two Person Dinghy)
20. Shweta Chaudhry (Shooting – Women’s 10m Air Pistol)
21. Rahi Sarnobat, Anisa Sayyed and Heena Sidhu (Shooting – Women’s 25m Pistol Team)
22. Shagun Chowdhary, Shreyasi Singh and Vasha Varman (Shooting – Women’s Double Trap Team)
23. Abhinav Bindra (Shooting – Men’s 10m Air Rifle)
24. Chain Singh (Shooting – Men’s 50m Rifle 3 Positions)
25. Abhinav Bindra, Ravi Kumar and Sanjeev Rajput (Shooting – Men’s 10m Air Rifle Team)
26. Jitu Rai, Samaresh Jung and Prakash Nanjappa (Shooting – Men’s 10m Air Pistol Team)
27. Dipika Pallikal (Women’s Singles Squash)
28. Sandeep Sejwal (Swimming – Men’s 50m Breaststroke)
29. Yuki Bhambri (Tennis – Men’s singles)
30. Yuki Bhambri and Divij Sharan (Tennis – Men’s Doubles)
31. Sania Mirza and Prarthana Thombare (Tennis – Women’s Doubles)
32. Vinesh Phoggat (Women’s Wrestling)
33. Geetika Jakhar (Women’s Wrestling)
34. Narsingh Yadav (Men’s Wrestling)
35. Narender Grewal (Wushu – Men)
36. Santhoi Devi (Wushu – Women).