Sports

IIE DIGITAL DESK ; Nagoya, September 24: India’s Roshibina Devi signed off from the Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games with a silver medal after losing to China’s Zhang Xiaoyu in the women’s 60kg Wushu Sanda final on Thursday. The 25-year-old Indian went down 0-2 in the gold-medal bout, with Zhang winning both rounds by unanimous decisions.

The silver medal adds another significant achievement to Roshibina’s Asian Games record. She had previously won a bronze medal at the 2018 Asian Games in Jakarta before securing silver at the 2023 Hangzhou Games. Her latest medal in Nagoya means she has now stood on the podium at three consecutive editions of the Asian Games, becoming the first Indian Wushu athlete to achieve the feat. 

Roshibina faced a formidable challenge against Zhang in the final. The Chinese fighter controlled the contest from the opening round and maintained her advantage throughout the bout. The five judges unanimously awarded both rounds to Zhang, who ultimately secured the gold medal with a 2-0 victory.

Despite missing out on gold, Roshibina’s performance marks another memorable chapter in her international career. Her campaign in Aichi-Nagoya also came after an unusual late change to India’s Wushu squad. She was brought into the team after Divyanshi Choudhary, who had initially been selected in the 60kg category, suffered an ACL injury. Roshibina was named in the squad on September 10 and had limited time to prepare before travelling to Japan.

The Manipuri athlete hails from Kwasiphai Mayai Leikai in Bishnupur district. Coming from a farming family, Roshibina developed an interest in Wushu and went on to establish herself as one of India’s leading athletes in the sport. Her journey has included considerable challenges, particularly during the early stages of her career, but she continued to progress through national and international competitions.

Her achievements have also been recognised at the national level. In 2023, Roshibina was honoured with the Arjuna Award, one of India’s major sporting honours, in recognition of her contribution and achievements in Wushu.

Speaking after the final, Roshibina acknowledged that she had hoped to win gold for India but said she would learn from the experience and return stronger in future competitions. Her coach Amit Pal also pointed to the limited preparation time before the Games as a factor in her campaign.

Roshibina’s silver medal has ensured another podium finish for India in Wushu at the Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games. More importantly, her third successive Asian Games medal underlines her consistency at the continental level and adds another notable achievement to her career.

For Roshibina, the Nagoya campaign may have ended without the gold medal, but the silver extends her remarkable run across three Asian Games editions and further establishes her place in the history of Indian Wushu.