India men’s quadrant secured a bronze medal in sepaktakraw after losing to Japan in the semifinal 0-2 at the Nagoya City Mizuho Park Gymnasium here on Friday.
The Indian quadrant of Malemnganba Singh Sorokhaibam, Ram Kumar Sharma, Bobby Kumar and Akash Yumnam (Lokhon Singh Elangbam and Tekong Arun subs) went down to the Japanese quadrant of Yuki Sato, Ryota Haruhara, Wataru Narawa and Yota Ichikawa (Seiya Takano and Toshitaka Naito subs) in the semifinal by close margins of 12-15, 13-15.
This is India’s only third sepaktakraw medal at the Asiad. They had won a bronze in the men’s team regu in the 2018 Jakarta Games and followed that up with a women’s team regu in the 2023 Hangzhou Games.
The Indian men’s quadrant secured the top finish in Group A after winning all three matches. They had also stunned World Cup winners Myanmar in the league stage, and also beat Vietnam and Laos to make it to the semis and secure a bronze medal.
Meanwhile, the Indian women’s quadrant crashed out in the group stage. They finished fourth in Group A with no wins from their three matches. In the women’s doubles, India finished fourth in their Group B and failed to win a single game of the three they played.
The Indian men’s regu team also failed to make it to the knockouts and finished third in Group B with a win and two losses.
Meanwhile, the Indian contingent has won 72 medals so far at the Aichi-Nagoya Games. India bagged six more medals on Friday. Lovlina Borgohain became the second Indian boxer to win gold after defeating Bao Ziyi of China in the women’s 75kg category final.
India’s women’s recurve archery team of Ankita Bhakat, Kirti and Kumkum Mohod scripted history when they beat 10-time champions South Korea to clinch a gold.
Kumkum Mohod and Dhiraj Bommadevara also clinched a silver in the recurve mixed team event after losing to China in the gold medal clash.
Dhiraj, Neeraj Chauhan, and Yashdeep Bhoge also won a silver in the men’s recurve team final after they lost the final to Korea. Nethra Kumanan won a bronze in the women’s dinghy.
