India’s rowers shine with 3 golds and 5 silvers at the Asian Championship

Indian rowers earned three golds, five silvers, and two bronzes at the Asian Championship in Hai Phong, Vietnam. Highlights include Balraj Panwar’s gold in men’s single scull and a silver in women’s lightweight pair, ending a 15-year drought

Hyderabad: Indian rowers returned with an impressive haul of three golds, five silvers, and two bronzes from the Asian Championship, which concluded in Hai Phong, Vietnam, on Sunday.

One of the standout performances came in the lightweight women’s pair event, where Gurbani Kaur and Diljot Kaur won silver, ending a 15-year-long drought for Indian women at the Asian Championship.

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2024 Paris Olympian Balraj Panwar led from the front, reaffirming his elite status by clinching the gold in the men’s single scull.

Rowing Federation of India’s Balaji Maradapa said that the remarkable performance by Indian rowers was not just about collecting medals but a reflection of years of perseverance, sacrifice, and the undying spirit of the athletes.

“Every stroke on the water was powered by the hope of a billion hearts. India’s performance at Hai Phong is a statement — that our rowers can stand shoulder to shoulder with the best in Asia,” Mr. Balaji said.

“The results from Hai Phong stand as a strong indicator of India’s upward trajectory in rowing. With 10 podium finishes across 15 events, the Championship has not only elevated India’s standing in Asia but also strengthened the foundation for the country’s preparation towards the 2026 Asian Games,” he added.

“The Federation remains committed to nurturing talent, enhancing training infrastructure, and providing athletes with international exposure to ensure continued success on the global stage,” the RFI chief said.

“This remarkable performance not only showcased technical finesse and grit but also symbolized the resurgence of women’s rowing in India. The duo’s medal stands as a landmark achievement and a source of inspiration for young female athletes across the country,” said Dronacharya Ismail Baig.

The list of medallists:

Men: Gold – Single scull – Balraj Panwar

Gold – Quadruple scull (M4X) – Kulwinder Singh, Navdeep Singh, Satnam Singh, Jakar Khan

Gold – Lightweight double scull – Lakshay and Ajay Tyagi

Silver – Men’s Eight – Nitin Deol, Parvinder Singh, Lakhveer Singh, Ravi, Gurpartap Singh, Bheem Singh, Jaswinder Singh, Kulbir, Kiran Singh Maiom

Silver – Double scull – Jaspinder Singh and Salman Khan

Bronze – Lightweight men’s pair – Nitin Deol and Parvinder Singh

Silver – Lightweight men’s quadruple scull – Rohit, Ujwal Kumar Singh, Lakshay and Ajay Tyagi

Silver – Lightweight men’s four – Sannee Kumar, Iqbal Singh, Babu Lal Yadav, Yogesh Kumar

Women: Silver – Lightweight pair – Gurbani Kaur & Diljot Kaur

Bronze – Women’s Eight – Gurbani Kaur, Diljot Kaur, Suman Devi, Alenna Anto Kiran, Poonam, Hoobijam Tendenthoi Devi, B.O. Aswathi, and Kiran Singh Maiom