Indian squash stars secure two silver medals in Japan
India collected two silver medals in squash singles competitions at the ongoing Asian Games 2026 in Aichi-Nagoya, Japan. Rising talent Anahat Singh settled for second place in the women's gold medal clash against Malaysia's Sivasangari Subramaniam on Sunday.
Challenging finals against Malaysian opponents
Sports network ESPN reported that Subramaniam secured a decisive 3-0 victory over Singh. This fast-paced encounter wrapped up in exactly 27 minutes. Singh dropped the first two games quickly with identical scores of 4-11, 4-11. She displayed more resistance in the final game but ultimately lost 7-11. These latest podium finishes boosted India's overall medal count at the current tournament to 32. The nation currently holds four gold, 14 silver, and 14 bronze medals.
Missed Olympic qualification opportunity
Men's singles contender Abhay Singh experienced a similar fate, losing his gold medal match to defending champion Ng Eain Yow from Malaysia. The world number 17 defeated the 26th-ranked Indian challenger in straight games, finishing with scores of 11-9, 11-5, and 11-5. ESPN noted that Abhay struggled to match his opponent's consistency throughout the contest. This defeat means India must continue waiting for its first individual squash gold medal at the Asian Games. It also prevented Abhay from claiming a direct qualification spot reserved for the men's singles champion. Squash is gearing up for its highly anticipated Olympic debut at the Los Angeles 2028 Games, elevating the importance of these continental victories.
Strong season leading up to finals
Before facing this setback, the 28-year-old Abhay earned his finals ticket by defeating Pakistan's Muhammad Irfan 11-3, 12-10, 11-6 during the semifinal stage. He currently stands out as only the second Indian man to reach an Asian Games singles final, following in the footsteps of Saurav Ghosal. Abhay received the prestigious Arjuna Award in 2024 and achieved a career-high world ranking of number 22 earlier this year. His strong season includes capturing the Indian Open title in Mumbai and securing his third Tuanku Muhriz Trophy in Malaysia.
Lates Medal Tally of Top Ten Countries - India's Position 12th
With Inputs from Agency Threads and Image Courtesy: ANI
