India end 44-year wait for Asian Games women’s hockey gold
India won the Asian Games women’s hockey title after defeating defending champions China 1-0 in the final in Japan. Captain Salima Tete said the team believed it could win despite China’s strength. The victory ended a 44-year wait and secured India a place at the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics.
India’s women’s hockey team won the Asian Games gold medal after holding defending champions China to a 1-0 defeat in Sunday’s final in Japan, ending a 44-year wait for the title and securing qualification for the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics. Captain Salima Tete said the team had maintained its belief despite facing a strong Chinese side. She described defending the single-goal lead and winning gold as a proud moment for the players and the country.
The final was decided by one goal, but China continued to apply pressure after India went ahead. India’s defence remained alert until the final whistle, preserving the advantage against the defending champions. Tete said the team had full confidence in its players before the match.
Her comments, reported by PTI Videos, highlighted the importance of the defensive effort as India protected the narrow lead rather than seeking a larger margin. Four members of the gold-winning team—Tete, Beauty Dungdung, Deepika Soreng and Nikki Pradhan—are from Jharkhand. Tete, Dungdung and Soreng are from Simdega, while Pradhan is from Khunti.
The four received a welcome at Ranchi airport from supporters, coaches and young hockey players, accompanied by traditional Mandar drums. Soreng said the team had worked towards the result for a long time and was particularly pleased that the victory also brought an Olympic berth. Pradhan compared the defensive performance with India’s effort against Australia at the Tokyo Olympics and said the team would prepare for Los Angeles by addressing its shortcomings.
The players later met Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren, who praised them in a social media post. Families also spoke about the achievement. Pradhan’s mother said the family had initially known little about hockey and tried to stop her from playing, while Tete’s father attributed his daughter’s success to years of struggle and work.
India’s result combines a continental title with Olympic qualification. The source material does not provide the scorer’s name or the precise time of the final’s goal.
This independently written report is based on information supplied by the named publisher. Vertrix News has not independently verified the source report.