Best-ever India in dreamland after surging past 100 medals at Asiad

India surged past a landmark 100 medals at the Asian Games in Hangzhou with golds in archery and kabaddi on Saturday adding gloss to their best showing ever at an Asiad.

The Indian team have surpassed all expectations back home by breaching the century mark of medals, with more expected to come on the penultimate day of competition.

It bodes well for the Paris Olympics, which are less than 10 months away.

“A momentous achievement for India at the Asian Games!” tweeted Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

“The people of India are thrilled that we have reached a remarkable milestone of 100 medals.”

Twenty-five of India’s 100 medals are gold, with India’s archers in particular enjoying a breakthrough Games.

“We came here with the target of 100 medals but didn’t imagine our dream would come true,” chef de mission Bhupender Singh Bajwa told Indian media.

The country’s highest previous medal haul at an Asian Games was 70 in Indonesia in 2018.

India have been especially successful in the archery competition in Hangzhou, snaring five golds.

Two came on Saturday as Jyothi Surekha Vennam clinched women’s individual compound gold and Ojas Deotale beat team-mate Abhishek Verma in the men’s event.

They also won compound archery gold in men’s, women’s and mixed teams.

The 21-year-old Deotale was the standout performer, winning three archery golds.

“What more do I need? I feel like I am living in a dream,” he said.

On a golden morning for India in an overcast Hangzhou, they also pipped Taiwan 26-25 to reclaim their women’s kabaddi crown, which they lost to Iran in 2018.

India face Iran later Saturday in the men’s kabaddi final, while their men’s cricketers are in action for gold against Afghanistan.

India will, however, still finish a long way behind China in the overall medals table when the Games wrap up on Sunday.

The hosts are well ahead of the rest with 358 medals in total, 188 of them gold.

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