Asian Games: India men's sepaktakraw quadrant wins bronze after Japan loss
Synopsis
India's men's sepaktakraw quadrant stunned World Cup winners Myanmar en route to bronze at Nagoya — only the country's third-ever Asiad medal in the sport. The day also saw Lovlina Borgohain claim boxing gold and the women's recurve archery team defeat 10-time champions South Korea, taking India's total medal tally to 72.
Key Takeaways
India's men's sepaktakraw quadrant won bronze at the Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games on 2 October 2026 after losing to Japan 0-2 ( 12-15, 13-15 ) in the semifinal.
This is only India's third sepaktakraw medal in Asian Games history, after bronze in 2018 Jakarta and a women's regu medal in 2023 Hangzhou .
India topped Group A unbeaten, defeating World Cup winners Myanmar , Vietnam, and Laos in the league stage.
The women's quadrant , women's doubles , and men's regu teams all failed to advance past the group stage.
India's overall tally at the Aichi-Nagoya Games stood at 72 medals as of 2 October , including gold medals for Lovlina Borgohain and the women's recurve archery team .
India's men's quadrant team secured a bronze medal in sepaktakraw at the Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games on 2 October 2026, after falling to Japan 0-2 in the semifinal at the Nagoya City Mizuho Park Gymnasium. The loss, though narrow in margins, ends India's run at what is only the country's third sepaktakraw medal in Asian Games history.
How the Semifinal Unfolded
The Indian quadrant of Malemnganba Singh Sorokhaibam, Ram Kumar Sharma, Bobby Kumar, and Akash Yumnam — with substitutes Lokhon Singh Elangbam and Tekong Arun — put up a spirited fight but went down to the Japanese quartet of Yuki Sato, Ryota Haruhara, Wataru Narawa, and Yota Ichikawa by close margins of 12-15 and 13-15. Both sets were competitive, underscoring the quality of the Indian side despite the defeat.
A Historic Run to the Medal
India's journey to this bronze was remarkable. The quadrant topped Group A unbeaten, registering wins in all three group-stage matches. Notably, they stunned World Cup winners Myanmar in the league stage — one of the upsets of the tournament — before also defeating Vietnam and Laos. The group-stage dominance earned them a semifinal berth and, with it, a guaranteed podium finish.
This is only India's third sepaktakraw medal at the Asiad. The country previously claimed bronze in the men's team regu at the 2018 Jakarta Games and followed that with a medal in the women's team regu at the 2023 Hangzhou Games.
Mixed Results for Other Indian Sepaktakraw Teams
The wider picture for Indian sepaktakraw at Nagoya was mixed. The women's quadrant exited in the group stage, finishing fourth in Group A without a single win across three matches. In the women's doubles, India similarly finished fourth in Group B, failing to win any of their three games. The men's regu team also missed the knockouts, finishing third in Group B with one win and two losses.
India's Broader Medal Haul at Aichi-Nagoya
The sepaktakraw bronze contributed to an impressive overall showing by India at the Aichi-Nagoya Games, with the contingent having won 72 medals as of 2 October. On the same day, boxer Lovlina Borgohain claimed gold in the women's 75kg final, defeating Bao Ziyi of China, becoming only the second Indian boxer to win gold at the Games. India's women's recurve archery team of Ankita Bhakat, Kirti, and Kumkum Mohod scripted history by defeating 10-time champions South Korea to clinch gold. Kumkum Mohod and Dhiraj Bommadevara won silver in the recurve mixed team event, while Dhiraj, Neeraj Chauhan, and Yashdeep Bhoge also took silver in the men's recurve team final. Nethra Kumanan rounded off the day with a bronze in the women's dinghy.
As India's campaign at Nagoya enters its final stages, the sepaktakraw bronze — built on a stunning group-stage run — adds a footnote to what is shaping up as one of the country's strongest Asian Games performances.
Point of View
Not a systemic improvement. India's broader medal haul at these Games, however, tells a more consistent story of depth across disciplines — archery, boxing, sailing — suggesting the country's sports ecosystem is maturing well beyond its traditional strongholds.
NationPress
2 Oct 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
How did India's men's sepaktakraw quadrant win a bronze medal at the Asian Games?
India's men's quadrant earned the bronze by finishing as a semifinalist at the Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games, losing to Japan 0-2 (12-15, 13-15) on 2 October 2026. In sepaktakraw, both semifinal losers are awarded bronze medals. India had topped Group A unbeaten, including a notable win over World Cup holders Myanmar.
What is sepaktakraw, and how does India rank in the sport?
Sepaktakraw is a Southeast Asian sport combining elements of volleyball and football, played using a rattan ball and with players using their feet, knees, chest, and head. India's bronze at Nagoya is only the country's third Asiad medal in the sport, following a men's regu bronze at the 2018 Jakarta Games and a women's regu medal at the 2023 Hangzhou Games.
How did India's other sepaktakraw teams perform at Nagoya?
Results beyond the men's quadrant were disappointing. The women's quadrant finished fourth in Group A without a win, the women's doubles team also finished fourth in Group B without a win, and the men's regu team finished third in Group B with one win and two losses — all three failing to advance past the group stage.
What was India's total medal count at the Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games as of 2 October?
India had won 72 medals in total as of 2 October 2026. The day's highlights included Lovlina Borgohain's boxing gold in the women's 75kg category, the women's recurve archery team defeating 10-time champions South Korea for gold, two silvers in archery team events, and a sailing bronze by Nethra Kumanan.
Who were the members of India's bronze-medal sepaktakraw quadrant at Nagoya?
The team comprised Malemnganba Singh Sorokhaibam, Ram Kumar Sharma, Bobby Kumar, and Akash Yumnam, with Lokhon Singh Elangbam and Tekong Arun serving as substitutes.
