Asian Games 2023: India win historic equestrian gold, make their mark in sailing on Day 3 at Hangzhou

Team India added a third gold to their medal collection on Day 3 of the 19th Asian Games in Hangzhou, China on Tuesday by winning the equestrian team dressage event.

India thus ended a 41-year wait for a second Asian Games gold medal in the sport, with the gold also their first in the team dressage category.

Besides the gold medal in eventing, the Indian contingent also opened its account in sailing with a silver and two bronze medals, taking their medal tally to 15 at the end of Day 3.

INDIAN EQUESTRIAN DRESSAGE TEAM WIN GOLD MEDAL AT THE 19TH ASIAN GAMES

In equestrian events after 41 years India has achieved a gold medal at the Asian Games.

Fantastic! You have brought the nation immense pride and joy with this victory. pic.twitter.com/vrPnr4u7hH

— Equestrian Federation Of India (@Efi_India) September 26, 2023

The quartet of Hriday Chheda, Divyakriti Singh, Anush Agarwalla and Sudipti Hajela won the event with 209.205 percentage points, defeating favourites China who finished with 204.882 percentage points to their name. Hong Kong collected bronze with a score of 204.852 percentage points.

Raghubir Singh had won gold in the individual eventing and team eventing categories on equestrian’s debut in the 1982 Asian Games. He would go on to win bronze in team dressage four years later in the Seoul Asian Games.

Neha Thakur won India’s first medal on Tuesday by finishing second in the girl’s dinghy ILCA-4 event. Eabad Ali and Vishnu Saravanan later won bronze in men’s windsurfer RS:X and the men’s dinghy – ILCA7 events respectively.

More to follow