Naorem Roshibina Devi Clinches Silver at Asian Games 2026, Creating Wushu History
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Scripting a golden chapter in Indian martial arts history, ace wushu exponent Naorem Roshibina Devi clinched the silver medal in the women’s 60kg sanda category at the ongoing 2026 Asian Games in Aichi-Nagoya, Japan, on Thursday. With this remarkable podium finish, Roshibina etched her name into the record books as the first Indian woman athlete ever to secure three consecutive medals in wushu across three editions of the Asian Games. The day five breakthrough added to the nation's medal haul following the morning's rowing success—where Satnam Singh and Salman Khan clocked 6:13.25 to secure bronze in the men’s double sculls—solidifying India's steady momentum on the continental leaderboard.
High-Octane Sanda Final: Tough Encounter Against China's Zhang Xiaoyu
The gold-medal bout witnessed an intense clash between two top-tier international fighters, with Roshibina facing formidable Chinese champion Zhang Xiaoyu, who entered the final following a victory over Vietnam's 2023 World Champion Nguyen Thi Thuy Thuy. Despite mounting an aggressive tactical counter-attack, the Indian martial artist went down 0-2 (losing both rounds 0-5 on judging scorecards) to settle for her second consecutive Asian Games silver. The result completes an unprecedented continental hat-trick for the Manipuri standout—progressing from a bronze medal at the 2018 Jakarta Asian Games, to a maiden silver at the Hangzhou Games (where she fought China's Xiaowei Wu), and now repeating her silver-winning feat at Aichi-Nagoya 2026.
From Bishnupur Farmlands to Global Glory: The Inspiring Rise of an Arjuna Awardee
Hailing from a humble agricultural household in Kwasiphai village, located in Manipur's Bishnupur district, Roshibina's rise to international prominence stands as a testament to relentless grit and dedicated coaching under Maibam Premkumar Singh at the SAI National Centre of Excellence (NCOE) in Imphal. Over the past decade, she has built an illustrious resume featuring international titles, including gold at the 2019 South Asian Games in Nepal, gold at the 2017 Asian Junior Wushu Championship in South Korea, world junior podiums, and the prestigious Moscow Wushu Star Championship crown. Recognized by the Government of India with the Arjuna Award in 2023 alongside being named the International Wushu Federation's (IWUF) Female Athlete of the Year (Sanda), Roshibina continues to anchor India’s combat sports legacy on the world stage.
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