Asian Beach Games: Indian Women Clinch Gold in Kabaddi; Men Secure Silver

Sanya (China) (IANS): India opened its medal tally at the 6th Asian Beach Games on Monday as the women’s kabaddi team captured gold, while the men’s team secured silver. The women’s squad maintained their continental dominance in Sanya, defeating Sri Lanka to claim India’s first gold of this edition.

Women’s Team Extends Golden Streak

The Indian women’s team secured a commanding 47-31 victory over Sri Lanka in the final to clinch their sixth consecutive Asian Beach Games title. The squad reached the summit clash after a convincing 50-31 win against Bangladesh in the semifinals.

The Sports Authority of India (SAI) Gandhinagar, which hosted the national coaching camp, celebrated the victory on social media, noting that the rigorous preparation in India paved the way for this historic result in China.

Men’s Team Settles for Silver

The Indian men’s team earned a silver medal for the second consecutive edition after falling to the Islamic Republic of Iran in the final. The six-member Indian squad—comprising Brijendra Singh Choudhary, Jitendra Yadav, Yatharth Deshwal, Neeraj, Jai Bhagwan, and Bhanu Pratap Tomar—trailed 23-11 at halftime and eventually lost the match 44-31.

Earlier in the tournament, the men’s team successfully avenged their previous final defeat by crushing rivals Pakistan 50-27 in the semifinals to secure their place on the podium.

The Games Resume After Decade-Long Hiatus

Resuming after a ten-year gap due to the pandemic, the Asian Beach Games are currently showcasing 31 Indian athletes in the resort city of Sanya. Organized by the Olympic Council of Asia (OCA), this multi-sport event focuses on coastal and beach disciplines.

India aims to build on its 2016 performance in Vietnam, where the contingent won 24 medals. With the kabaddi events concluded, India now looks to its remaining representatives to bolster the medal count in Sanya.