Nagoya, Oct 3:
India’s women’s hockey team ended a 44-year wait for the Asian Games gold medal by defeating defending champions China 1-0 in the final in Kakamigahara, Japan, on Friday. The victory also earned India a direct qualification berth for the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics.
Lalremsiami scored the decisive goal in the 10th minute with a superb reverse-stick strike after Sakshi Rana threaded a pass into the circle. The goal came on Lalremsiami’s 200th international appearance and gave India a crucial early lead against the Paris Olympic silver medallists.
China responded with sustained pressure, but India’s defence stood firm throughout the contest. A crucial moment came when China were awarded a penalty stroke, with goalkeeper Bichu Devi making an important save to preserve India’s advantage. The Indian defence continued to absorb repeated Chinese attacks and protected the one-goal lead until the final whistle.
The triumph gave India its second women’s hockey gold at the Asian Games, after the team’s maiden title in 1982. India had finished runners-up in 1998 and 2018, but finally returned to the top of the continental podium in 2026. China took silver, while Japan won bronze after defeating South Korea in the third-place play-off. India’s gold also sealed its place at the Los Angeles 2028 Olympics, avoiding the Olympic qualifying tournaments.