Asian Games 2026 medal tally: Archers and shooters spur India to top 8 in standings

Sports Tak

UPDATED: Oct 01, 2026 12:09 AM IST

Sports Tak•

UPDATED: Oct 01, 2026 12:09 AM IST

India's star shooters Kynan Chenai (L) and Neeru Dhanda in this frame. (X)

Story Highlights:

India are placed at the eighth place in the Asian Games 2026 medal tally

India have garnered a total of 60 medals as of September 30

A spectactular haul on the archery field alongside sustained dominance at the shooting range catapulted India into the top eight of the Asian Games standings on September 30. A sweep across all three compound team events, paired with a triumph in the mixed team trap event courtesy of Neeru Dhanda and Kynan Chenai, pushed the nation's gold count into double digits. Supplemental podium finishes, including three bronze medals in boxing and another in Greco-Roman wrestling via Sunil Kumar, further cemented the team's strong showing.

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Shooters, Archers take India to 8th place in Asian Games medal standings

The mid-week surge brought India's overall collection to 60 medals, comprising 10 gold, 21 silver, and 29 bronze. This tally places India firmly in eighth spot overall, trailing seventh-placed Bahrain by a single gold medal while maintaining a slim cushion over ninth-placed Kazakhstan, who hold 56 total medals with nine golds. At the top end of the board, powerhouse China maintains an unassailable lead with 275 total medals (including 150 golds), followed by host nation Japan in second with 199 and South Korea in third with 102.

It was a banner day for India's compound archery contingent, as they executed a clean sweep of every team event on offer, capturing gold across the women's, men's, and mixed competitions. The trio of Jyothi Surekha Vennam, Chikitha Taniparthi, and Prithika Pradeep got the ball rolling by defending their continental crown in the women's team final, equaling the world record with an impressive 238-234 victory over China's Wunier, Yue Wang, and Fangyao Wei. Shortly after, Kushal Dalal, Sahil Jadhav, and Ganesh Mani Ratnam Thirumuru held their nerve in a razor-thin men's team final, edging out China's Jiahao Liao, Jinyi Liu, and Jingyu Shi 238-237 to seal the sweep.

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Adding to the day's historic weight, Chikitha and Sahil pulled double duty by claiming the mixed team title in a nail-biting shoot-off against South Korea’s Jungyoon Park and Choi Eun Gyu (158-157). The victory capped off two-gold outings for both archers while marking a huge milestone on the road to the 2028 Los Angeles Games. By winning the mixed event, India became the very first nation to lock in a compound mixed team quota spot for the sport's upcoming Olympic debut in LA.

India's prowess on the range shone bright once again as Neeru Dhanda and Kynan Chenai overcame early stumbles to capture top honors in the mixed team trap competition. Battling through a challenging start, the duo posted an impressive mark of 34 points, rewriting both the Asian and Asian Games records in a masterful display of marksmanship.

The victory capped an extraordinary continental campaign for Dhanda, marking her second gold medal following her earlier triumph in the individual trap event, alongside a silver earned in the women's team trap. With a personal haul of two golds and a silver, she now stands as India's most decorated competitor at these Games. The combined four-gold harvest on Wednesday propelled India's total gold tally to 10, jumping two spots up the ladder into eighth place overall.