Shillong, September 26: Neha Thakur, a relatively unknown 17-year-old hailing from Madhya Pradesh, clinched a silver medal, while Armyman Eabad Ali secured a bronze, adding to India’s medal tally in the Asian Games held in Hangzhou.
As per IANS, Neha, the daughter of a farmer from Amaltaj village in Dewas district, made a significant mark by winning India’s first medal in the sailing competitions of the 19th Asian Games. She secured a silver medal in the Girls’ Dinghy – ILCA4 category at the Ningbo Xiangshan Sailing Centre, located around 155 km from Hangzhou.
Eabad Ali contributed to the occasion by claiming the bronze medal in the Men’s Windsurfer RS:X – RS event.
These two medals have set the stage for the Yachting Association of India (YAI) to potentially secure more medals on the final day of competitions, as they anticipate at least three more podium finishes on Wednesday. This would improve India’s performance compared to the 2018 edition of the games when they won a silver and two bronze medals.
Neha Thakur’s remarkable journey began at the National Sailing School in Bhopal, Madhya Pradesh, where she started sailing at a young age. Over the last three days, she delivered outstanding performances, ultimately finishing second behind Thailand’s Noppassorn Khunboonjan after 11 races in her category.
Coming from a middle-class family with her father as a farmer and her mother a housewife, Neha’s dedication to sailing paid off as she secured India’s first sailing medal in the Asian Games. She previously won a bronze medal at the Asian Sailing Championships in Abu Dhabi, earning her qualification for the Asian Games.
Eabad Ali faced pressure on the final day but managed to secure India’s first windsurfing medal by finishing second in the 14th race. Despite initial setbacks, including not finishing three races, his determination paid off with a bronze medal.
Eabad’s journey to the Asian Games was earned through a bronze medal at the Asian Championships in Abu Dhabi in 2022. Despite facing challenges, he persevered and finished with 52 penalty points.