Stories
India Battles China for Asiad Hockey Gold, Olympic Berth
N
News18•01-10-2026, 13:15
India Battles China for Asiad Hockey Gold, Olympic Berth
- •India faces defending champions China in the women's hockey final, aiming for their first Asian Games gold in 44 years and direct qualification for the LA Olympics.
- •India last won Asian Games gold in women's hockey in 1982 and has since secured silver medals in 1998 and 2018.
- •The team's confidence stems from winning the FIH Nations Cup and achieving their best-ever 5th place finish at the 2026 FIH World Cup, where they drew 0-0 with China.
- •Both unbeaten teams topped their pools and faced tough semi-final challenges, with China winning a shootout against Japan and India defeating South Korea 2-0.
- •India's campaign relies on strong defense from goalkeepers Savita and Bichu Devi, and diverse scoring, led by Deepika with 21 goals (19 from penalty corners) and Navneet Kaur with 10 goals.
Key Questions Answered
The Indian women's hockey team last won an Asian Games gold medal during the 1982 edition.
Both teams topped their respective pools with perfect records. In the semi-finals, China defeated hosts Japan 4-2 in a penalty shootout after a 0-0 draw, while India beat South Korea 2-0 with goals from Ishika Chaudhary and Salima Tete.
Winning the gold medal at the Asian Games provides a direct qualification spot for the LA Olympics.
