Pincky Balhara claimed a bronze medal in the women's 78kg kurash event at the 2026 Asian Games in Nagoya on 28 September, competing through a painful right knee injury to secure her second Asian Games medal and defy calls to retire after her third continental appearance.

How the semifinal unfolded

The 28-year-old Delhi athlete faced South Korea's Sumin Mo in the semifinal at the Aichi Prefectural Martial Arts Hall, losing 5-0 in a bout that was shaped almost entirely by her injury. Sumin repeatedly targeted Pincky's heavily strapped right knee, restricting her attacking options and steadily building a points lead to advance to the final.

'I was determined not to give away points. Sumin knew my weakness, and she made good use of that,' Pincky said.

A career built on resilience

The bronze mirrors Pincky's performance at the 2018 Asian Games in Jakarta, where she won silver — a result she delivered under profound personal pressure after losing her father in the lead-up to the competition. She has spoken candidly about media criticism at the time, alleging she was accused of seeking sympathy over her father's death.

'A section of the media said I was taking sympathy for my father's death before the 2018 Asian Games. I proved them wrong with my medal. That fire still burns in me. The blood of a Jat girl is very hot, and that is what keeps me going against adversity,' she said.

Beyond Asian Games podiums, Pincky's record includes a junior Asian championship title in 2015, a gold medal at the 2024 World Nomad Games, and multiple national titles.

Not done yet, says Pincky

Despite speculation that a third Asian Games appearance could signal the end of her career, Pincky was emphatic in dismissing that narrative. 'A lot of people are saying my career is over after my third Asian Games. While I agree that the colour of the medal is not what I had aspired to, I am not stopping yet. I have worked very hard in the last eight years for this medal,' she said.

India's Kurash programme needs more support

India fielded a six-member squad in kurash at the Aichi-Nagoya Games, with the team holding a brief training camp in Saharanpur before travelling to Japan. Indian Kurash Association president Ravi Kapoor acknowledged that inadequate international preparation had limited the team's prospects.

'We could have done better had our team got some international exposure and training before coming to the Games. We need a lot of support from the government,' Kapoor said, adding that Prime Minister Narendra Modi's vision of making sports a career option must extend to kurash athletes as well.

Pincky pointed to the 2018 Asian Games as proof of what targeted overseas preparation can deliver — the Indian squad trained for 19 days in Uzbekistan, one of the sport's traditional strongholds, before winning two medals in Jakarta. Kurash is reported to have taken root in an organised form in India around 2000, with several athletes transitioning from judo to build the sport's domestic base. Kapoor said the association has largely self-funded its operations and appealed for government backing ahead of the next cycle.

With the medal count standing and her resolve undiminished, all eyes will now be on whether Pincky can secure the institutional support she needs to mount a stronger challenge at the next Asian Games.