Asian Games: Pincky Balhara becomes India's Kurash legend with bronze medal in Nagoya

Pincky Balhara has put Kurash back on the map, eight years after her historic performance in the 2018 Asian Games in Jakarta. With her second Asian Games medal, Pincky has cemented her status as a legend of the game.

In Short

• Balhara secured a medal after defeating Garam Lim in the quarter-finals
• Her gold bid ended against Sumin Mo in the semis
• Balhara has contributed to two out of three Asian Games medals in Kurash for India

In 2018, Pincky Balhara found her name etched into Indian sporting history as she claimed a silver medal in Kurash during the Asian Games in Jakarta. It was a sport that was never been on India's staple diet and even after years from Pincky's achievement, it still remains alien.

But Kurash is back on the map and once again the girl from Neb Sarai in Delhi was at the forefront of the result. She was able to defeat Garam Lim in the quarterfinals to assure herself of a medal and was aiming for gold.

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However, in the semi-finals, she was beaten by Sumin Mo. Pincky was far from 100 percent dealing with a knee injury and said she was being attacked on the same spot.

"I got injured in the quarterfinal match, got hit on the knee. My opponent in the quarterfinal was also a Korean. So, my semifinal opponent knew that I got injured on my right knee.

"I was attacking but she was hitting me there (on her knee) again and again. So, I lost on penalty," said a sobbing Balhara from Neb Sarai in Delhi, according to PTI.

Pincky won silver in the 52 kg category in Jakarta and it was only her second time competing in the new division.

"This is only my second bout in 78kg and before that I competed in Asian Championships in Uzbekistan in May. That was my first in 78kg."

But she has given India and the sport of Kurash a major lift at the Asian Games.

WHO IS PINCKY BALHARA?

Pincky Balhara has established herself as a prominent name in Indian Kurash, having represented the country across junior and senior-level international events since 2015. Her medal haul includes a gold at the 2015 Junior Asia Championship in Taipei, a silver from the 2018 Asian Games in Jakarta and a gold at the 2024 World Nomad Games in Astana, Kazakhstan.

Competing in the women’s -78kg division, Balhara has continued her strong run, winning silver at the 2026 Senior Asian Cup in Uzbekistan before securing gold at the 2026 Senior Nationals.

HOW PINCKY STARTED KURASH

While now she is a legend in Kurash, it wasn't her first choice of sport. Pincky’s journey in combat sports began with judo, where she made her mark at the international level. Ahead of the 2018 Asian Games, she had already secured gold medals at both the Asian Cup and the Asian Junior Championships.

However, she missed out on selection for India’s judo squad for the Jakarta Games. She then switched her focus to Kurash and went on to make the most of the opportunity, winning her maiden Asian Games medal in the sport.

The dream of gold may not have been fulfilled this time, but expect Pincky to make a comeback soon enough, while keeping Kurash on the map.

- Ends