Asian Games crowds in spotlight as 998 see hosts in 50,000 stadium
Under 1,000 spectators watched Asian Games hosts Japan beat South Korea in the semi-finals of the women's football at a 50,000-capacity stadium, highlighting the struggle to generate interest in some events.Tuesday's first women's football semi-final at the stadium in Shizuoka, a venue for the 2002 FIFA World Cup, saw North Korea beat China 2-0 in front of an official attendance of 564.
India claimed their seventh gold medal of the 2026 Asian Games in Aichi-Nagoya on Wednesday, as the women's Compound Archery team successfully defended their title from the previous edition. The team, consisting of Jyothi Surekha Vennam, Prithika Pradeep, and Chikita Thaniparthi, secured the gold by narrowly defeating China in the final with a score of 238-234. This victory marked India's second gold medal in the event, equaling the world and Asian record previously set by South Korea in 2014.
India's strong performance began in the semi-final, where they outperformed South Korea 234-233. With pressure mounting in the second half of the match, the Indians managed to take a one-point lead, followed by two 10s from Chikitha and Prithika, and a nine from Jyothi, allowing them to clinch the one-point victory.
Since the introduction of the women's Compound Archery team event in 2014, India has medaled in every edition, securing a bronze in 2014 and a silver in 2018 before claiming twin golds. The 30-year-old Jyothi has been an integral part of all four medal-winning teams. This remarkable win propelled India to the ninth position in the overall standings of the Asian Games.
On Tuesday, India secured their sixth gold medal after an impressive performance in the Women's 4x400m relay final. The country's impressive archery run continued with a historic showing by the compound archery team.
Written by urgent.news from The Indian Express's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
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