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Nagoya
India’s women’s hockey team ended a 44-year wait for Asian Games gold on Friday, defeating defending champions China 1-0 in a tense final at the Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games. The victory also secured India a direct qualification berth for the 2028 Los Angeles Olympic Games.
Lalremsiami scored the decisive goal in the 10th minute, marking her 200th international appearance with a powerful reverse-stick strike that gave India the lead. The goal ultimately proved enough as India’s defence held firm against sustained Chinese pressure throughout the match.
Captain Salima Tete helped produce the goal with her work in the midfield. China continued to create opportunities in the later stages, but India’s defensive organisation kept the score at 1-0 until the final whistle.
The triumph marks India’s second women’s hockey gold at the Asian Games and their first since 1982, when the team won the title in New Delhi. India had reached the final twice since then, taking silver in 1998 and 2018 after defeats to South Korea and Japan respectively.
The gold medal carries added significance because the Asian Games champion earns direct qualification for the Los Angeles Olympics. China took silver, while hosts Japan secured bronze after defeating South Korea in the third-place playoff.
India’s victory also added to the country’s medal haul at the 2026 Asian Games, while giving the women’s hockey team a major boost ahead of the next Olympic cycle.