Indian judokas Asmita Dey and Harsh Singh scripted history at the 2026 Commonwealth Games, becoming the country’s first-ever judo athletes to win gold medals at the Games.
Competing at the Scottish Event Campus, Asmita clinched the women’s 48kg title, while Harsh secured gold in the men’s 60kg category, marking a landmark achievement for Indian judo on the Commonwealth stage.
Asmita Dey Fights Back to Win Historic Gold
Asmita Dey defeated Canada’s Heidi Quach 2-1 in a thrilling women’s 48kg final after staging a remarkable comeback.
The 23-year-old judoka from Belonia, South Tripura, found herself trailing 0-1 after receiving an early penalty. Remaining composed under pressure, Asmita successfully pinned her opponent to level the contest before regulation time expired.
The match entered the Golden Score period, where Asmita executed a decisive attacking move to secure a memorable 2-1 victory and India’s first-ever Commonwealth Games judo gold medal.
Harsh Singh Dominates Men’s 60kg Final
Soon after, Harsh Singh delivered another historic performance by defeating Australia’s Joshua Katz, the reigning Commonwealth Games bronze medallist, with a commanding 10-0 victory in the men’s 60kg final.
Harsh controlled the pace of the contest from the beginning, using disciplined tactics and aggressive attacks to keep his Australian opponent on the defensive.
The breakthrough came midway through the bout when Harsh executed a perfectly timed attack to take an unassailable 10-0 lead, sealing India’s second historic gold medal in judo.
An Emotional Victory for Asmita
Following her victory, Asmita dedicated the achievement to her late father, Arjun Kumar Dey, whose encouragement inspired her sporting journey.
Recalling the challenges her family faced after his passing in 2015, Asmita thanked Uttar Pradesh Police for providing her employment and acknowledged the role of her coach Yashpal Solanki, who trained her at the National Centre of Excellence in Bhopal.
She credited her support system for helping her overcome personal hardships and achieve one of the biggest milestones in Indian judo history.
Historic Milestone for Indian Judo
The twin gold medals represent a breakthrough moment for Indian judo, with Asmita Dey and Harsh Singh becoming the first Indian judokas to win Commonwealth Games gold medals.
Their victories mark a significant step forward for the sport in India and highlight the growing depth of talent emerging from the country’s high-performance training programmes.
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