SportsPosted at: Oct 2 2026 7:05PM


India end 40-year wait for Asian Games women’s hockey gold

New Delhi, Oct 2 (UNI) For a while, the Indian women’s hockey team had been caught in a cycle of inconsistency, with injuries, a poor Pro League campaign that ended in relegation and a tendency to falter when the stakes were highest. They entered the Asian Games after finishing fifth at the World Cup, but put those setbacks behind them in emphatic fashion, ending a four-decade wait for the Asian Games gold with a 1-0 victory over defending champions China in the final on Friday.
For No. 8-ranked India, Lalremsiami Hmarzote’s superb reverse-stick strike in the 10th minute proved enough to settle the contest, but the gold was secured by a defence that refused to yield and goalkeeper Bichu Devi, who stood tall whenever China threatened.
The defending champions dominated possession for long periods and threw wave after wave of attacks at the Indian circle, but India absorbed the pressure with remarkable discipline. Their defenders repeatedly put their bodies on the line, while Bichu Devi produced a crucial penalty-stroke save to keep China from drawing level.
The victory delivered two long-awaited prizes for India — their first Asian Games women’s hockey gold since 1982 and direct qualification for the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics, a key target for coach Sjoerd Marijne since taking charge for a second time in January this year.
After 1982, India came close to reclaiming the crown twice, finishing runners-up in 1998 and 2018, but lost to South Korea and Japan respectively.
China, the Paris Olympics silver medallists, had to settle for silver, while Japan claimed bronze after beating South Korea 4-2 in a shoot-out in the third-place play-off.
The final started an hour late after the team buses of both sides were caught in a traffic jam caused by an accident unrelated to either team. Once the match got underway, India made their early pressure count.
Sakshi Rana found Lalremsiami with a well-weighted pass into the circle in the 10th minute. The forward took the ball in her stride before unleashing a fierce reverse-stick hit that flew into the upper netting, leaving the Chinese goalkeeper with no chance.
China enjoyed more possession after conceding, but India’s compact defensive structure made it difficult for them to create clear openings. India were briefly reduced to 10 players when Baljeet Kaur received a green card in the sixth minute, but they successfully negotiated the two-minute spell.
China earned their first penalty corner in the 18th minute, but India read the variation and intercepted the routine. Their second attempt was comfortably saved by Bichu Devi. The goalkeeper then produced the moment that could have changed the final.
China were awarded a penalty stroke in the 24th minute after Lalremsiami was penalised for obstructing a forward from behind. Bichu Devi dived sharply to her left and kept out the low effort, preserving India’s lead.
China returned after the break with greater urgency and began piling on the pressure. They earned a series of penalty corners, but India’s defenders threw themselves into the firing line. Navneet Kaur produced a crucial goal-line clearance, while captain Salima Tete and the likes of Ishika Chaudhary, Baljeet and Sushila Chanu repeatedly cut off passing lanes.
With five minutes remaining, China withdrew their goalkeeper and committed an extra outfield player in search of an equaliser. India, however, held their shape and survived the final onslaught.
When the final whistle sounded, four decades of waiting were over. India had their Asian Games women’s hockey gold back, and more importantly, a direct route to the Los Angeles Olympics to go with it.
UNI TB AAB
Tags: #India end 40-year wait for Asian Games women’s hockey gold
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