India enjoyed a remarkable golden burst at the Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games on Friday, October 2, 2026. In a span of roughly half an hour, three Indian athletes secured gold medals across wrestling and boxing, creating a memorable afternoon for the country.
Sujeet Kalkal's Dramatic Wrestling Comeback
The golden run commenced with Sujeet Kalkal in the men's freestyle 65kg wrestling final. Facing Tajikistan's Abdulmazhid Kudiev, Kalkal staged a stunning comeback to win the bout 10-9. He was trailing 2-9 at one stage but reduced the deficit to 6-9 with just 1 minute and 15 seconds remaining. Kalkal then executed a crucial takedown to make it 8-9 before another decisive move with about 50 seconds left completed his remarkable turnaround, sealing India's first wrestling gold of the 2026 Asian Games.
This victory holds particular significance in the men's 65kg category, a weight class previously dominated by Indian wrestling legends Yogeshwar Dutt (2014) and Bajrang Punia (2018).
Parveen Hooda Edges Chen in Boxing Thriller
Soon after Kalkal's triumph, Parveen Hooda added another gold for India in the women's 65kg boxing final. Hooda faced Chen Nien-chin of Chinese Taipei, a Paris Olympics bronze medallist, in a fiercely contested bout. The Indian boxer ultimately prevailed by a 3-2 split decision, claiming the Asian Games title.
Parveen had previously defeated China's Li Shu 5-0 in the semifinal. Her gold medal also marks a significant return to top-level competition, following a 22-month suspension due to whereabouts failures, which caused her to miss the Paris Olympics.
Ankush Panghal Completes India's Golden Hat-trick
The third gold medal arrived almost immediately after Parveen's victory, with Ankush Panghal completing India's remarkable winning streak. Panghal defeated South Korea's Kim Minseong in the men's 80kg final, securing a dominant 4-0 decision win.
The 21-year-old boxer had earlier overcome Uzbekistan's reigning 75kg world champion, Fazliddin Erkinboev, with a 4-1 decision in the semifinal to earn his spot in the final. Ankush's victory also makes him the first Indian male boxer to win an Asian Games gold medal since Amit Panghal achieved the feat in 2018.