Four bronze medals for India on the 4th day at the Asian Games

India bagged four bronze medals on the fourth day of the Asian Games with medals coming for the first time in gymnastics. Commonwealth Games hero Ashish Kumar delivered India’s first ever medal in the gymnastics when he won the bronze medal in the men’s floor event.

After a gap of 24 yeas India won its first medal in aquatics when Virdhawal Khade clinched the bronze in the Men’s 50m Butterfly. After Khajan Singh’s Silver at the 1986 Games held at Seoul, the 19-year-old Indian swimmer, is also the youngest ever to do so. Bimoljit Singh won a bronze in the 60 kg category of the wushu event and Sandhya Rani Devi has atleast assured herself a silver medal by reaching the final in the women’s event.

Apart from these few memorable performances the Indian contingent continued to disappoint. The shooters were expected to deliver the medals but for the second consecutive day they failed to bag any. In the women’s hockey India lost 3-0 to Japan.

In men’s football the Indian team were thrashed 5-0 against Japan. The difference in the skill and energy between the two teams were clearly evident as the Japanese team continuously made forays in the Indian defence. By the first half India was 3-0 down and against a superior side drubbing was never out of question.The defeat meant that India had not advanced to the last eight stage of the Asian Games since 1974. India had won their last medal in the Bangkok edition in 1970 by beating Japan 1-0 in the third-place play-off.

India’s medal hope Saina Nehwal will start her campaign today.