Asian Games 2018 ended with India on a record high, an 8th spot in the medals tally. Indian athletes brought home a total of 69 medals – 15 gold, 24 silver and 30 bronze from the Asian Games 2018 held in Jakarta and Palembang, Indonesia to surpass the medal count from 2010 Games in China.
India’s gold tally in Indonesia was their joint best effort since the inaugural edition in 1951. From teenager Saurabh Chaudhary to 60-year-old Pranab Bardhan, many players proved that age is just a number with top nods.
Here are top 5 highlights of 2018 Asian Games:
1. Athletics was the highlight for India, with seven gold medals coming from track and field. Neeraj Chopra and Swapna Barman bagged gold medals in the javelin throw and heptathlon respectively.
Continuing their dominance in women’s team relay, Jinson Johnson’s gold was first 1500m medal in 20 years, while Manjit Singh’s 800m gold and Arpinder Singh’s triple jump gold came after decades worth of wait.
2. The bridge was played for the first time in the Games and the Indians- with most players over 50 – managed to shock everyone. 60-year-old Pranab Bardhan and 56-year-old Shibnath Sarkar, combined to win India their final gold in Indonesia.
3. Indian shooters delivered the goods at the Asiad with a total of 10 medals. Teenagers Saurabh Chaudhary and Shardul Vihan made headlines after outstanding performances.
4. Wrestling didn’t disappoint either! Bajrang Punia won gold in 65 kg freestyle and Vinesh Phogat clinched gold in the women’s freestyle 50kg category. With this clinch, Phogat became the first Indian female wrestler to win at the event.
5. The 18th Asian Games will be remembered as a historic badminton campaign for India. This is the first time ever that two female shuttlers – PV Sindhu and Saina Nehwal – won medals in the individual event at the Games for India.
Until the next Asian Games in 2022!
