Indian boxer Priya Ghanghas settled for a bronze medal in the women’s 60kg category at the Asian Games 2026 after losing 1-4 to China’s Yang Chengyu in the semifinal on Wednesday.
The reigning Commonwealth Games champion produced an attacking performance at the Nishio Gymnasium but could not do enough to sway the judges as Yang advanced to the final on a split decision.
Priya entered the bout on the back of an impressive run, having defeated Tajikistan’s Mijgona Samadova 5-0 in the quarterfinals. In the pre-quarterfinals, she had stunned two-time world medallist Oh Yeonji of South Korea.
Yang, however, remained composed under pressure and effectively neutralised several of Priya’s attacking bursts.
The Chinese boxer started aggressively, forcing Priya to rely on counter-attacks. The Indian gradually found her rhythm and landed combinations, particularly in the latter stages of the opening round, but Yang edged the round 3-2 on the judges’ scorecards.
Priya increased the pressure in the second round, looking to close the gap. Yang, the 2025 World Championships bronze medallist, stayed compact and made it difficult for the Indian to land clean punches. She also finished the round strongly to take it 4-1.
Trailing significantly, Priya pressed forward in the final round and tried to raise the tempo. Yang repeatedly closed the distance and blocked or absorbed several of the Indian’s attacks while maintaining a disciplined defence.
Yang secured another 4-1 verdict in the third round to complete a 4-1 victory and book her place in the gold-medal bout.
Priya’s campaign ended with a bronze medal, adding to her international achievements. The Bhiwani-born boxer had earlier won gold at the 2026 Commonwealth Games in Glasgow and also finished on top of the podium at the 2026 Asian Elite Boxing Championships in Ulaanbaatar.
Yang will face Chinese Taipei’s Lin Yu-ting in the final. Lin is the reigning Olympic champion from Paris, setting up a high-profile contest for the women’s 60kg gold medal.
(IANS Inputs)
