Delhi celebrates Indian Archers’ Asian Games success

Abhishek Verma, the recipient of the silver medal in compound men's individual archery, expressed to ANI, "Our performance has been outstanding. With 107 medals earned, archery has made a significant contribution with nine."

New Delhi: The Indian archers received a grand welcome on their arrival at Delhi Airport on Monday for their success at the 19th Asian Games in Hangzhou.

Abhishek Verma, who bagged the silver medal in the compound men’s individual archery, while speaking to ANI, said, “We have had a great performance so far. 107 medals have been won. And archery has contributed nine medals. And we are feeling proud that we are also able to contribute to this.” When asked what the main reason is behind so many medals, he said that along with the help of the government, the enthusiasm of the youth, and the support of the family are necessary. When these things come together, such performances are seen.

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Compound Archer Aditi Gopichand, who clinched a bronze medal at the Asian Games in the women’s compound archery women’s individual event, told ANI, “I am feeling proud that I have contributed to the success of the country at the Asian Games. India has won more than 100 medals. We will perform like this in the Olympics too.” Archer Ojas Pravin Deotale who bagged a gold medal in compound archery men’s individual event, said, “India has won 107 medals in the Games… It was our 6 years of hard work that has paid off. My next aim is the Asian Championships and the way I have performed in the Asian Games, I will perform the same in the Championships.” The 19th edition of the Asian Games in Hangzhou, China, concluded on Sunday with a glittering closing ceremony in which the star-studded Indian contingent participated as well.

India finished their Asian Games 2023 campaign with a record haul of 107 medals, 28 gold, 38 silver, and 41 bronze, making this one of the most memorable sporting events for the country in a long time and something that will immortalise all the athletes taking part in it. This surpassed India’s previous record tally achieved at the last edition in Jakarta in 2018, where a 570-strong Indian squad racked up 70 medals, 16 gold, 23 silver, and 31 bronze.

Shooting led the way for India at the 19th Asian Games in Hangzhou with an unprecedented haul of 22 medals, which included seven gold.

Athletics, headlined by Neeraj Chopra’s successful title defence in the javelin throw, came in a close second with six golds, along with 14 silvers and nine bronzes. Athletics gave the country a total of 29 medals.

The archery compound team, meanwhile, clean-swept the five gold medals in the category. Archery as a whole gave India a total of nine medals.

The cricket and kabaddi teams also bagged two gold medals each, while the men’s hockey team’s gold secured a spot at the Paris 2024 Olympics with a gold medal. The women’s hockey teams also got a bronze medal. Both men’s and women’s cricket teams led by Harmanpreet Kaur and Ruturaj Gaikwad got gold medals.

Six medals came in wrestling, though none of them were gold and five were bronze. Indian boxers won a total of five medals, including four bronze and one silver.

Squash gave India a total of five medals, including two golds. India also won five medals in rowing, dominating the sport.

India also bagged their first Asian Games badminton gold medal courtesy of the men’s doubles pair of Chirag Shetty and Satwiksairaj Rankireddy. India won three medals in badminton. India won three medals in sailing as well.

Two medals also came in tennis, equestrian, chess, and roller skating. In bridge, golf, wushu, canoeing, sepak takraw, and table tennis, India won a medal each.