India completed a golden double in kabaddi at the Asian Games on Saturday. Both the men's and women's teams defended their titles with wins over Iran in the finals.
The women beat Iran 37-34 earlier in the day. The men followed with a 40-34 victory in another tight contest.
Men's Final Victory
India's men beat Iran 40-34 to retain the gold medal. The final stayed in the balance for long spells and the score was locked at 20-20 at one stage before India pulled clear.
The win gave India another Asian Games gold in kabaddi and underlined their return to the top. India had won seven straight gold medals before that run ended at the 2018 Jakarta Games, where Iran took the title and India finished fourth.
They bounced back at the 2023 Hangzhou Games by reclaiming the crown. Saturday's triumph was India's overall ninth gold medal in kabaddi at the Asian Games.
Women's Final Comeback
India's women beat Iran 37-34 earlier on Saturday. They led 22-16 at half-time and built the cushion that proved decisive by the end.
Iran hit back hard after the break and won the second half 18-15. India still held on for a thrilling victory as their first-half advantage carried them through.
The celebrations came quickly. After the win, the Indian team took a victory lap of the arena and chanted the national song, 'Vande Mataram'. The women have now won Asian Games gold in every edition except the 2018 Jakarta Games, when they settled for silver after losing to Iran.
