India's men's Kabaddi team clinched a record-extending ninth gold medal at the Asian Games on 26 September, defeating a formidable Iran side 40-34 in a pulsating final at the Tokai Citizen Gymnasium in Tokai, at the ongoing Aichi-Nagoya Games. The victory completed a historic Kabaddi double for India, with the women's team having earlier defended their gold medal with a 37-34 win over the same opposition.

A Tight Final Goes India's Way

The gold medal clash lived up to its billing as a classic India-Iran contest. The two sides traded points through raids, tackles, and bonus points, with little separating them across the opening exchanges. Iran held a narrow 18-17 advantage at half-time, aided by a crucial all-out on the defending champions. Iran's first-half tally stood at 14 out points, one bonus point, and one super tackle point, while India countered with 11 out points, three bonus points, two super tackle points, and one technical point.

The second half began level at 20-20 before India began asserting their dominance. Defender Sumit was instrumental, unleashing a series of telling thigh tackles that disrupted Iran's raid patterns. The defining moment came when Rahul nailed a tackle to trigger an all-out on Iran, giving India a commanding 29-24 lead. From there, India controlled both the raiding and defensive phases to seal the contest at 40-34.

Historic Ninth Gold — and What It Means

The win extends India's unbeaten run in men's Kabaddi at the Asian Games, a streak that dates back to the sport's introduction at the continental level. No other nation has come close to matching this dominance. The gold was also the fourth medal for the Indian contingent overall at the Aichi-Nagoya Games. Notably, India have now won men's Kabaddi gold at every Asian Games they have participated in — a record in the annals of Asian Games history.

Women's Team Complete the Double

Earlier in the day, the Indian women's Kabaddi team claimed their fourth Asian Games gold in the discipline's history, defeating Iran — the 2018 Asian Games champions — 37-34 in an equally riveting final. The Women in Blue built a comfortable 22-16 cushion by half-time and, despite a spirited second-half fight from Iran (who outscored India 18-15 after the break), held on to complete the win. The result was the third gold for India's contingent at these Games, paving the way for the men to add a fourth shortly after.

India's Kabaddi Supremacy in Context

The double gold underscores India's near-unassailable position in Kabaddi on the continental stage. Iran remain the only team capable of pushing India close, as evidenced by both finals finishing within single-digit margins. This is consistent with the pattern of recent editions, where the Iran-India final has become the defining fixture of the Kabaddi competition. For the Indian contingent at Aichi-Nagoya 2026, the Kabaddi sweep provides a significant medals boost and reflects the depth of talent in a sport that India has cultivated for decades. Eyes will now turn to the remaining events as India builds toward its final medals tally.