🥉 Babu Kumar of Bareilly wins bronze medal at Asian Games 2026, boosting India's prestige.

Bareilly: Babi Kumar, a Sepak Takraw player from the Indian Sports Authority (SAI) training centre in Bareilly, delivered a stellar performance and won a bronze medal for India at the Asian Games 2026.

At the Asian Games being held in Aichi‑Nagoya, Japan, the Indian men's quartet team won a bronze medal in the Sepak Takraw competition on 2 October. Babi Kumar, a trainee from Bareilly, was also part of this team.

Training in Bareilly since 2019

Babi Kumar has been training at the Indian Sports Authority training centre, Major Dhyan Chand Stadium, Bareilly, since 5 July 2019. Under the guidance of Sepak Takraw coach BA Sharma, he learned the nuances of the sport and, through hard work, established his reputation on the international stage.

Before this, Babi had represented the Indian team in numerous national and international competitions.

Coach highlighted the great achievement

Coach BA Sharma expressed his joy over Babi Kumar’s achievement and said that winning a bronze medal at the international level is a matter of pride for the entire country.

Meanwhile, senior player Deepak Maurya described Babi as a talented player, noting that he had already delivered remarkable performances in several competitions.

Coach Ramkumar and Meena Kumari mentioned that Babi Kumar will be welcomed upon his return to his homeland.

Defeat by Japan in the semi‑final

In the competition, the Indian team secured victories against several teams, including Myanmar and the Philippines. However, in the semi‑final match, the team faced defeat against Japan. Subsequently, the team captured the bronze medal.

Alongside Babi Kumar, the Indian men's quartet team included Ramkumar Sharma from Delhi, Akash from Manipur, Melgamba, and Lakhan Singh.

Babi Kumar’s achievement has created a joyous atmosphere in Bareilly’s sports community, and his return home is eagerly awaited.