CWG 2026: Asmita Dey, Harsh Singh storm into judo finals
Glasgow, July 31
India's judo campaign received a major boost at the 2026 Commonwealth Games as Asmita Dey and Harsh Singh powered into the finals of their respective weight categories on Friday, guaranteeing the country two more medals and keeping hopes of a golden double alive.
In the closely contested semifinal, Asmita beat Summer Shaw from Scotland 1-0 (Yuko) and thus secured a gritty performance to reach the women's 48kg final, the result being decided by the Golden Score.
The contest was a closely fought tactical battle and, over the four minutes of regular time, neither judoka was able to gain the upper hand. Shaw, who has won the senior British title four times, countered Asmita move for move, with the result that they nullified each other.
Although the Indian judoka was given a Shido penalty towards the end of the regulation period, she kept her composure under pressure and would not let that blow stop her from making her attempt, instead forcing the match into sudden-death overtime.
It wasn't until after more than two minutes of Golden Score that Asmita finally managed to secure the deciding opening. She timed her attack exactly right, threw Shaw onto the mat and kept control long enough to obtain a Yuko, thus winning the match after it had lasted for 6 minutes and 27 seconds and causing the celebrations in the Indian camp.
Not long after that, Harsh Singh secured a spot for India with another judoka in the gold medal match in the men's 60kg event.
In the semifinal, Harsh gave a dominant performance against Australia's Pedro Carlos Antun Neto, maintained control of the match, and thus won it to reach his first Commonwealth Games final.
Since both Asmita and Harsh have reached the title matches, India is now assured of two additional medals in judo, the two athletes being scheduled to compete for gold later on that day.
— IANS
Reader Comments
Asmita's composure after getting that shido penalty was really impressive. Many athletes would have let that affect their game, but she kept fighting. That throw in sudden-death was perfectly timed! And Harsh is looking like a future star. CWG 2026 is becoming a memorable one for Indian judo. 👏👏
Great to see depth in Indian judo. But let's not get carried away - the real test will be the finals. We've had semifinal heroes before who couldn't handle the pressure of a gold medal match. Both Asmita and Harsh need to bring their A-game today. Hope they convert these guaranteed medals into gold! 🤞
The way Asmita fought for 6 and a half minutes at that intensity is genuinely inspiring. It's not easy to keep your focus in sudden death after a long regulation period. And Harsh's aggressive style is so entertaining to watch! These two are setting a great example for young judokas back home. 🙌✨
Two finals in judo at CWG - this is huge for the sport in India! We often focus on cricket, hockey, and shooting, but individual sports like judo need this kind of recognition. Asmita and Harsh are doing the nation proud. Just wish our sports media gave them more coverage during the buildup.
Impressive performance from the Indian judoka duo. Asmita's golden score win over a four-time British champion is noteworthy, and Harsh's control throughout his semifinal was textbook judo
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