Brief by Shorts91 Newsdesk / 10:59am on 04 Oct 2026,Sunday Sports
India's women's hockey team ended a 44-year wait for Asian Games gold, beating China 1-0 in Nagoya. The last gold came in 1982 at Delhi's Shivaji Stadium, under captain Eliza Nelson and coach Balkrishan Singh. Back then, players competed on uneven grass, goalkeepers wore cane and cotton pads, and the squad lived in a hall sharing one washroom. Today, Savita Punia leads a pan-India side, with Lalremsiami scoring the winner, backed by modern gear, video analysis and coach Sjoerd Marijne's tactical vision. Unbeaten in the tournament, India have also booked a place at the LA 2028 Olympics, bridging two generations. (PC: India Today)
