The combat sports landscape in India achieved a historic breakthrough on the tatami mat as judokas Asmita Dey and Harsh Singh shattered longstanding barriers to claim India’s first-ever gold medals in judo at the Commonwealth Games 2026 in Glasgow, Scotland.

In a discipline where Indian athletes had historically accumulated silvers and bronzes without ever standing atop the highest step of the podium, the Scottish Event Campus witnessed an unprecedented double-gold day that fundamentally elevated the standing of Indian martial arts on the international stage.

Accompanied by a hard-fought silver medal from Yamini Mourya, the Indian judo contingent delivered a masterclass in tactical discipline, physical stamina, and psychological resilience. Their combined achievements underscored years of structural investments in national sports development, bringing judo into the mainstream consciousness of Indian athletics.

The opening act of India’s golden double belonged to twenty-three-year-old Asmita Dey, competing in the women’s 48kg division. Before Asmita’s campaign, India’s historical tally across all previous editions of the Commonwealth Games stood at five silver and six bronze medals in judo.

Asmita shattered that ceiling through a combination of tactical patience and defensive fortitude. Her journey to the gold medal match required navigating a challenging draw against seasoned opponents. In the quarter-finals, she produced an authoritative performance to defeat Scotland’s Eva Ewing by ippon.

Moving into the semi-final stage, she faced four-time senior British champion Sumer Shaw in an intense, grueling bout. The match extended into Golden Score-judo’s sudden-death overtime period-lasting over six minutes before Asmita secured a decisive yuko to earn her spot in the championship final.

In the gold medal bout, Asmita faced Canada’s Heidi Quach in a tightly contested, tactical battle. Quach established an early lead by scoring a yuko with an aggressive throw, leaving Asmita under immediate pressure after receiving an early shido penalty for inactivity.

Demonstrating exceptional composure, the Indian judoka adjusted her grip strategy and escalated her offensive tempo. Midway through the four-minute regulation period, Asmita executed a swift counter-throw to land her own yuko, leveling the scoreline at 1-1. With neither fighter able to break the deadlock before the regulation buzzer, the final entered Golden Score overtime.

Drawing upon her superior physical conditioning, Asmita executed a clean, decisive throw near the edge of the mat, securing the winning point and officially claiming the first Commonwealth Games judo gold medal in India's sporting history.

Building directly upon the momentum generated by Asmita’s victory, twenty-three-year-old Harsh Singh took to the mat in the men’s 60kg category just hours later. Competing in his debut Commonwealth Games, the young judoka mounted an immaculate campaign that culminated in a dominant, tactically flawless performance against an Olympian opponent.

Harsh's run through the preliminary stages showcased both explosive power and technical efficiency, securing swift victories by ippon over Malawi’s Chikondi Kathewera in the round of 16 and Vanuatu’s Alan Monthouel in the quarter-finals, followed by outmaneuvering Australia’s Pedro Carlos Antun Neto in the semi-finals to secure a clean waza-ari win.

In the championship decider, Harsh confronted Australia’s highly experienced Joshua Katz, an Olympian who entered the final as a strong contender for the title. Katz initiated aggressive attacks early, attempting to control the center of the mat and force an early advantage. Harsh remained calm under pressure, absorbing the Australian’s combination attempts and denying scoring opportunities through solid defensive footwork. A pivotal sequence occurred midway through the match when Katz attempted a ground hold.

Harsh escaped the pin cleanly, immediately transitioning into a counter-position on the mat. Though neither fighter scored during that exchange, the momentum shifted firmly in favor of the Indian. With the clock ticking down to the final minute, Harsh seized a crucial opening, executing a sharp, low-center throw and immediately following up with a controlled ground hold. The judges awarded a waza-ari, which proved decisive.

Harsh maintained tight defensive posture through the closing seconds to close out a 10-0 victory, capturing India’s second judo gold medal of the day and becoming the first male Indian judoka to win a Commonwealth Games title.

India’s overall success on the tatami was further bolstered by Yamini Mourya, who earned a silver medal in the women’s 57kg weight category. Yamini blazed through her earlier matches, recording emphatic ippon victories over Ghana’s Frema Agyei in the quarter-finals and South Africa’s Donne Breytenbach in the semi-finals. In the final, Yamini faced England’s Acelya Toprak, a silver medalist from the previous Commonwealth Games edition. The two athletes engaged in an exhausting physical battle, battling through four full minutes of regulation time without conceding a point.

The contest extended deep into Golden Score, where both competitors pushed their endurance limits. After nearly three additional minutes of extra time, Yamini conceded a third shido penalty for non-combativity, handing the match to Toprak. Despite the narrow defeat, Yamini’s silver capped off an extraordinary campaign for the Indian judo squad.

The technical and tactical success of the Indian judo squad in Glasgow reflected a clear shift in international preparation and physical conditioning. Historically, Indian martial artists at multi-sport events faced challenges in high-intensity ground grappling and sustained overtime endurance.

The performances at Glasgow showcased clear improvements across key technical areas, including defensive stability, grip control, timing, and ground transitions. Both Asmita and Harsh demonstrated remarkable composure during extended bouts.

In Asmita's case, surviving a six-minute semi-final before enduring a high-stress Golden Score final required immense physical conditioning and mental toughness. For Harsh, his ability to execute a high-scoring throw late in regulation against an aggressive opponent highlighted technical precision under extreme time pressure.

The double-gold triumph represents the culmination of long personal journeys for both athletes, tracing back to grassroots sports development hubs in India. Hailing from Tripura, Asmita did not start her athletic career on the judo mat. She initially trained as an 800-meter track runner before a local coach recognized her agility and recommended a transition to judo.

She joined the Tripura Sports School in 2015, quickly earning national recognition through medal-winning performances at the National School Games and Khelo India Youth Games.

In 2018, she was inducted into the Sports Authority of India National Centre of Excellence in Bhopal, where her technical skills were refined under elite national coaching. Prior to her Glasgow milestone, Asmita had already made her mark internationally by winning gold medals at the 2023 Junior Asia Cup in Macau and the 2025 African Open in Casablanca.

Harsh Singh’s rise through the weight categories in Indian judo has been characterized by consistent performances across the International Judo Federation World Tour. Competing in high-level international competitions such as the Tokyo Grand Slam, Asian Judo Championships, and IJF Grand Prix circuits provided him with vital experience against elite opposition.

That international exposure proved crucial in Glasgow, enabling him to navigate pressure-packed moments against experienced opponents without losing tactical discipline.

The two gold medals won on the judo mat served as a major boost to India’s broader campaign at the Commonwealth Games 2026, joining weightlifting icon Mirabai Chanu, para-athletics champion Sharmila Dhankar, and para-sprinter Dilip Gavit on the top step of the podium.

The historical significance of the achievement drew high-level national recognition, including commendations from Prime Minister Narendra Modi. In public statements praising both athletes, the Prime Minister highlighted that their historical performances would serve as a major catalyst for popularizing combat sports across the nation, inspiring grass-roots participation in disciplines that have historically received less mainstream coverage.

The landmark achievements of Asmita Dey, Harsh Singh, and Yamini Mourya in Glasgow represent a major turning point for Indian martial arts, transforming Indian judo from a competitive contender into a gold-medal discipline.