Asian Games 2026: Parveen Hooda wins boxing gold, beats Chinese Taipei's Nien Chen in 65 kg final

Parveen Hooda's wait for a medal at the Asian Games 2026 has finally ended. The 26-year-old won the gold medal in the women's 65 kg category. It is India's second medal in boxing at the Asian Games 2026 and the country's 13th gold of the Games.

In the final on Friday, Parveen faced Nien Chen of Chinese Taipei. The bout was closely fought. The Indian boxer won the first round 5-0. Chen made a strong comeback in the second round and won it 5-0. In the last round, Parveen held her nerve, won it 3-2 and sealed the gold medal.

The win is a major achievement for Parveen. She won gold at the 2025 World Cup. She had won bronze at the 2022 World Championships and gold at the 2022 Asian Championships. Parveen is now the third Indian woman to win a medal at the Asian Games. Veteran MC Mary Kom won gold in the women's 51 kg category at the 2014 Asian Games in Incheon.

Lovlina also won a boxing gold. On Friday, her 29th birthday, she beat China's Jiayi Bao 5-0 in the 75 kg final. A bronze medallist at the Tokyo Olympics, Lovlina put in a superb performance against Bao and gave herself a birthday gift. She is recorded as India's second woman boxer to win gold.

After Mary Kom, Lovlina is the second woman boxer to win both an Asian Games gold and an Olympic medal. She has reached the final at the Asian Games twice in a row and is the first boxer to win gold and silver in them.

Meanwhile, at the Asian Games 2026, Netra Kumanan also delivered a standout performance in dinghy sailing to win a bronze medal for India.