Nagoya, September 28, 2026 (Yes Punjab News)
Indian kurash athlete Pincky Balhara battled a right knee injury to win bronze in the women’s 78kg category at the 2026 Asian Games, securing her second medal at the continental event and declaring that she has no plans to retire.
The 28-year-old from Delhi was defeated 5-0 by South Korea’s Sumin Mo in the semifinals at the Aichi Prefectural Martial Arts Hall on Monday. The result earned Pincky a bronze medal, matching her medal-winning performance at the 2018 Asian Games in Jakarta, where she won silver.
Pincky’s heavily strapped right knee affected her performance in the semifinal, with Mo repeatedly targeting the injured leg and limiting the Indian athlete’s attacking options. The South Korean capitalised on the situation to build a points advantage and advance to the final.
“I was determined not to give away points. Sumin knew my weakness, and she made good use of that,” Pincky said in an interview with Sports Authority of India (SAI) media.
The bronze medal adds to Pincky’s record in international kurash. A former junior Asian champion in 2015, she won gold at the 2024 World Nomad Games and has also claimed a national championship title.
Pincky has previously spoken about overcoming personal adversity and criticism following her father’s death before the 2018 Asian Games. Recalling that period, she said some sections of the media had accused her of seeking sympathy over her loss.
“A section of the media said I was taking sympathy for my father’s death before the 2018 Asian Games. I proved them wrong with my medal (silver). That fire still burns in me. The blood of a Jat girl is very hot, and that is what keeps me going against adversity,” she said.
Despite winning another Asian Games medal, Pincky said she remains determined to continue competing, dismissing suggestions that her third appearance at the Games could mark the end of her career.
“A lot of people are saying my career is over after my third Asian Games. While I agree that the colour of the medal is not what I had aspired to, I am not stopping yet. I have worked very hard in the last eight years for this medal,” she said.
India fielded a six-member kurash squad at the Aichi-Nagoya Games, with the team attending a short training camp in Saharanpur before travelling to Japan.
Indian Kurash Association president Ravi Kapoor said the team could have performed better with greater international exposure and more extensive preparation ahead of the competition. He also called for increased government support for the sport.
“We could have done better had our team got some international exposure and training before coming to the Games. We need a lot of support from the government. PM Narendra Modi’s vision to make sports a career option must impact our players too,” Kapoor said.
Pincky recalled the benefits of international training ahead of the 2018 Asian Games, when Indian athletes spent 19 days training in Uzbekistan, a country with a strong tradition in kurash.
“The tough training there helped. We learnt to be competitive and did that the hard way. We need more such camps before big events,” she said.
India won two medals in kurash at the 2018 Jakarta Asian Games. Kapoor said the sport had been developing in an organised manner in India since around 2000, with several athletes, including those who transitioned from judo, going on to win medals at international competitions.
He said the association had largely managed its operations through its own resources and that institutional support could help Indian athletes improve their performances at future Games.
“We have virtually run the association from our own pocket. We just need government support to turn the corner and do much better in the next Games,” Kapoor said.
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