News has arrived from the sports arena that will fill every Indian’s heart with pride. At the 2026 Commonwealth Games, India’s star judo player, Asmita Dey, has achieved what no other judo player from the country has ever achieved. She defeated a Canadian player in the 48 kg weight category final to win the gold medal. This victory is also historic because it is India’s first gold medal in judo in the history of the Commonwealth Games.
Sudden death thriller in the final and a historic win
Asmita’s journey wasn’t easy. In the final, she faced a formidable Canadian player, Heidi Quach. The match was intense, and the two were neck-and-neck. Ultimately, in the sudden death, or golden score, round, Asmita made a brilliant move, securing victory and etching her name in the pages of history. Previously, she had defeated Scotland’s Eva Ewing by ippon in the quarterfinals and Summer Shaw by yuko in the semifinals.
An inspiring story from athlete to judo champion
Hailing from the small town of Belonia in Tripura, Asmita Dey’s journey to this position has been a challenging one. Interestingly, as a child, she wasn’t a judo player, but rather an athlete, competing in the 800-meter race. However, during a district trial, she became interested in judo and made it her goal. Through her hard work, she trained rigorously under coach Yashpal Solanki at the SAI Regional Center in Bhopal. She is currently a key member of the government’s Target Olympic Podium Scheme (TOPS) Development Group.
Even before this, she has won many big tournaments.
Asmita’s success didn’t come overnight. She has previously raised the national flag high on several international platforms:
- In the year 2025, he won the gold medal in the Casablanca African Open held in Morocco.
- He also won the gold medal in the Junior Asia Cup held in Macau in 2023.
- She was successful in winning the silver medal in the 2023 Asian Open.
- Apart from this, he also has many gold medals in Khelo India University Games and the title of Junior National Championship.
India’s current performance in the Commonwealth Games
Asmita Dey’s historic victory has further boosted India’s confidence at the Commonwealth Games. India currently sits 9th in the points table with a total of 18 medals, including 4 gold, 10 silver, and 4 bronze. Asmita’s gold medal certainly marked a major turning point for the Indian contingent.