Indian mixed martial arts athlete Suchika Tariyal created history on Monday by winning the country’s first-ever MMA medal at the Asian Games, securing bronze in the women’s traditional 60kg category at Aichi-Nagoya.
Suchika’s campaign ended in the semifinals with a 0-2 defeat against Singapore’s Hui Hoon Teo, but her run ensured India’s first Asian Games medal in the discipline.
The Indian had secured the historic medal on Sunday by reaching the semifinals after defeating Mongolia’s Altanchimeg Baigalmaa in the women’s traditional 60kg event.
India’s other MMA representative, Varun Sanyal, was unable to compete at the Games after his campaign was ruled out on medical grounds.
Elsewhere, India had a mixed outing across disciplines on Monday.
In soft tennis, Aadhya Tiwari and Jay Meena began their mixed doubles Group B campaign with a 5-0 victory over Cambodia’s Viva Chao and Chanroseka Khun. The Indian pair also registered a win over Mongolia’s Bud Nyamdorj and Enkhkhuslen Ganbaatar, while their clash against South Korea’s Kim Yeon-hwa and Jaekyu Park was scheduled later.
In swimming, Srihari Nataraj progressed to the men’s 50m backstroke final, with compatriot Rishabh Das listed as the reserve. Mani Akash and Gitesh Shah failed to qualify for the men’s 50m freestyle final, while Dhanush Suresh missed out on the men’s 100m breaststroke final.
In wushu, Nyeman Wangsu finished 15th in the women’s Changquan final, while India’s women’s table tennis team continued its campaign with a 3-0 victory over Pakistan in the Group F match.
