Historic Wins for India in Judo
India achieved a significant milestone in judo at the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow, securing two gold medals on Friday. Asmita Dey and Harsh Singh both claimed top honours in their respective categories, marking a historic day for the nation’s judo contingent.
Asmita Dey made history by becoming the first Indian female judoka to win a gold medal at the Commonwealth Games. She triumphed over Heidi Quach of Canada in the women’s 48kg final. The match was decided by yuko (2-1) after a golden score contest, securing India’s inaugural judo gold at the Games.
The 23-year-old from Tripura faced early pressure in the final, conceding a yuko and receiving a penalty, which allowed Quach to take an initial lead. However, Asmita adopted a more aggressive approach, levelling the contest at 1-1 shortly after the halfway mark of the four-minute bout. Despite multiple exchanges, neither judoka scored the winning point during regulation time, leading to a Golden Score period where the first scoring move determines the victor. Asmita maintained her composure during this sudden-death phase, executing a decisive attack to earn another yuko and clinch the gold medal for India.
Men’s 60kg Gold for Harsh Singh
The celebrations continued for India as Harsh Singh secured the men’s 60kg gold medal. He defeated Australia’s Joshua Katz by waza-ari (10-0) in the final, adding a second judo gold to India’s tally at the Commonwealth Games. This victory made Harsh the first male judoka from India to win a gold medal at the event.
Competing in his first Commonwealth Games, the 23-year-old delivered a composed and tactically astute performance against the Australian Olympian, who was considered a favourite for the gold. Katz initiated the contest aggressively, but Harsh defended effectively, preventing his opponent from gaining an early advantage. Both judokas exchanged attacks without a clear lead in the initial stages of the match. At one point, Katz nearly pinned Harsh, who managed to escape and attempted a counter-pin, though neither effort resulted in points.
The decisive moment occurred at the 3:19 mark when Harsh executed a well-timed throw followed by a pin, earning him a waza-ari score. This score was sufficient to secure his victory and the gold medal. A waza-ari is the second-highest score in judo, awarded for a throw that lacks one element for an ippon or for a ground hold lasting between 10 and 19 seconds. Two waza-aris are equivalent to an ippon, which immediately ends the match. Harsh remained unfazed by his opponent’s experience, maintaining his composure throughout the contest and ultimately delivering India’s second judo gold of the day.
India’s Medal Tally at the Games
Harsh Singh dedicated his gold medal to his mother, expressing his happiness at winning for the country and acknowledging the preparation involved. He also stated his intention to prepare for the Asian Games if he qualifies, aiming to perform his best.
These judo victories contributed to India’s overall medal count at the Glasgow Games, which stood at 19 medals. This tally included five gold, nine silver, and five bronze medals. The Indian gold medallists at the Games include Mirabai Chanu (women’s 48kg weightlifting), Sharmila Dhankar (women’s shot put F57), Dilip Gavit (men’s 100m T47), Asmita Dey (women’s 48kg judo), and Harsh Singh (men’s 60kg judo).
Silver medals were secured by Rishikanta Singh, Muthupandi Raja, Gyaneshwari Yadav, Sarvesh Kushare, Valluri Ajaya Babu, Harjinder Kaur, Gulveer Singh, Murali Sreeshankar, Mohammed Basil, and Lovepreet Singh. Additionally, bronze medals were won by Jhandu Kumar, Bindyarani Devi, Shilpa K Shyla, and Seema Kaliramna.
Source: timesofindia.indiatimes.com
