Naorem Roshibina Devi Clinches Silver in Wushu for India at Asian Games 2023

India’s Naorem Roshibina Devi added another feather to her cap by securing the silver medal in the women’s 60kg sanda wushu event at the Asian Games 2023 on Thursday. The impressive performance came as a testament to her skill and dedication on the international stage.

In the final showdown, Naorem Roshibina Devi faced tough competition from China’s Wu Xiaowei, ultimately losing 2-0 but securing the second spot on the podium. This marked her second consecutive Asian Games medal, following her bronze win at the 2018 Games in Jakarta.

The quarter-finals witnessed Naorem Roshibina Devi's prowess as she defeated Kazakhstan’s Aiman Karshyga by WPD (winner by point difference), confirming her well-deserved place on the podium. The semi-finals proved to be another triumph for the Indian athlete as she secured a 2-0 victory against Vietnam’s Thi Thu Thuy Nguyen, earning her spot in the gold medal match.

India's wushu history at the Asian Games has seen consistent success, with a total of nine medals heading into Hangzhou 2023 — one silver and eight bronze. Notably, Naorem Roshibina Devi joins the ranks of Sandhyarani Devi, who clinched a silver in the women’s 60kg at Guangzhou 2010.

Despite the silver medal, Naorem Roshibina Devi's achievement marked the conclusion of India’s wushu campaign at the Asian Games 2023. The competition saw other Indian athletes giving their best effort, although their journeys concluded at various stages.

Sunil Singh Mayanglambam faced a close battle in the round of 16 of the men’s 56kg sanda but fell short to the Philippines' Arnel Mandal on point difference. Vikrant Baliyan’s men’s 65kg campaign also concluded in the final 16 stage with a 2-1 loss to Indonesia’s Samuel Marbun.

Surya Bhanu Pratap Singh, competing in the men’s 60kg category, won his initial bout 2-1 against Uzbekistan’s Khaydarov Islombek but exited the competition after a 2-0 loss to the Republic of Korea’s Kim Minsoo in the quarters. The men’s 70kg category witnessed Suraj Yadav being knocked out by Afghanistan’s Khalid Hotak in the quarter-finals.

In the taolu events, India’s Suraj Singh Mayanglambam and Anjul Namdeo secured the fifth and sixth positions, respectively, in men’s changquan, while Rohit Jadhav finished ninth in the men’s daoshu and gunshu all-round.

The Indian wushu contingent showcased resilience and skill throughout the Asian Games, contributing to India's growing success in martial arts on the international stage.

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