IOA crowns top Nagoya Asiad performers with inaugural awards
Indian Olympic Association officials have proudly selected archer Kumkum Mohod and wrestler Sujeet Kalkal to receive historic national trophies. Management instituted the Jaspal Rana Award and the Raja Randhir Singh Award to recognize elite performances at the Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games. These honors also commemorate two late sports legends. Both champions delivered exceptional results, helping India secure a fourth-place finish with 21 gold, 27 silver, and 37 bronze medals. Recognizing these specific accomplishments highlights India's expanding dominance in global sporting arenas, shifting traditional athletic power balances.
Kumkum Mohod claimed three medals during her international debut, including two golds. The 17-year-old athlete secured the women’s recurve team title alongside Kirti and Ankita Bhakat. This victory officially ended South Korea’s consecutive winning streak, which began at the 1998 Bangkok Games. She continued her impressive form by capturing the individual recurve gold. Her victory denied South Korean women an Asian Games recurve gold for the first time ever. Winning this event also guaranteed India a qualification quota for the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics.
Sujeet Kalkal earned the prestigious Raja Randhir Singh Award following a spectacular gold medal finish in the 65kg freestyle wrestling division. The 23-year-old competitor defeated reigning Olympic champion Kotaro Kiyooka from Japan during the semifinal round. He then executed a stunning recovery in his final match against Abdulmazhid Kudiyev. After trailing 2-9 late in the bout, he fought back to clinch a narrow 10-9 victory.
Officials plan to formally present both athletes with their awards during a special upcoming felicitation ceremony.
