Asian Games 2026 Closing Ceremony Live: Shooter Neeru Dhanda set to carry India’s flag
India signed off on the Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games with a gold medal in men’s hockey, beating Malaysia 5-1 in Saturday’s final. The victory took India’s tally to 21 gold medals and 85 medals overall, enough to secure another top-five finish.
The final numbers, however, were below India’s record-breaking performance in Hangzhou. India won 106 medals in 2022, including 28 golds, meaning the Aichi-Nagoya campaign ended with 21 fewer medals overall and seven fewer golds.
It was a campaign of contrasting fortunes, with several expected results followed by disappointing setbacks. India, in fact, were outside the top 10 of the medal table as recently as Thursday, with only 10 gold medals.
The final two days changed the picture dramatically. Hockey and cricket delivered gold, while archery, boxing and wrestling added crucial medals to India’s haul. The late burst brought 11 more gold medals and lifted India back into the top five, ensuring the campaign ended on a much brighter note. With this, India finished in fourth in the standings.
