100 medals? India on track to strike ambitious target

India’s compound archers carried their gilt-edged form into the team events, sweeping two golds at the Fuyang Yinhu Sports Centre as five medals won across disciplines on Thursday pushed India’s overall tally to 86 — within striking distance of achieving a magical century and fulfilling the contingent’s ambitious target when it set off for the 19th Asian Games.

- SHANTANU SRIVASTAV

 

With nine more confirmed medals in archery (3), kabaddi (2), badminton (2), hockey (1) and bridge (1) yet to be added to the total, and two more all but certain in chess, India will inch closer to the three-figure mark over the next two days, and with several other athletes in contention, is now firmly on track to breach it.

To be sure, India’s performance at Hangzhou is already its best ever at any Asian Games, surpassing the 70 medals achieved at 2018 Jakarta by some distance. And it’s been a long and creditable journey from 2002 Busan, when the overall medal tally stood at a dismal 36.

At Hangzhou, India’s 21 golds so far (previous best 16) and 32 silvers (previous best 23) are already records, and show how the net has been cast wide for Olympic sport.