Indian judoka Asmita Dey created history on Friday by becoming the country’s first athlete to win a judo gold medal at the Commonwealth Games.
Dey defeated Canada’s Heidi Quach in the women’s 48kg final in Glasgow to clinch the historic achievement. The heated contest between the two finalists went down to the last possible second and saw Dey secure a sensational comeback at the end.
The closely fought battle went into golden score after the two judokas remained level at the end of regulation time. No Indian judoka had previously reached the top of the Commonwealth Games podium.
Final decided in golden score
Quach opened the scoring with a Yuko and Dey was subsequently handed a shido penalty, putting the Indian under early pressure.
Dey responded quickly and registered a Yuko of her own to level the contest at 1-1.
Neither athlete managed to find a decisive move during the remaining regulation time. The bout consequently moved into golden score, where the first successful scoring technique would decide the winner.
Dey continued to press forward during the sudden-death period. She eventually found an opening and scored a second Yuko to seal the gold medal. The victory sparked celebrations among members of the Indian contingent present for the final in Glasgow.
India’s breakthrough in Commonwealth judo
Dey had already broken new ground by becoming the first Indian judoka to enter a Commonwealth Games gold-medal bout. Her victory in the final went a step further, ending India’s wait for a judo champion at the Games.
The result also adds to India’s medal tally at the 2026 Commonwealth Games in Glasgow. As of July 31, India has won 17 medals (3 gold, 10 silver, and 4 bronze) at the ongoing Commonwealth Games in Glasgow.