Nagoya Asian Games: Roshibina Devi settles for silver after fighting her way back into India squad

India’s Roshibina Devi added another Asian Games medal to her growing collection, winning silver in the women’s 60kg Wushu Sanda category after losing to China’s Xiaoyu Zhang in the final on Thursday.

The medal marked Roshibina’s third consecutive podium finish at the Asian Games. She won bronze at the 2018 Jakarta Games and followed it with silver at Hangzhou in 2023. Her latest silver also took India’s overall Wushu medal tally at the Asian Games to 11, comprising one gold, two silver and eight bronze medals.

India’s overall medal tally at the 2026 Asian Games now stands at 14, including one gold, six silver and seven bronze medals.

Roshibina began her campaign strongly in Nagoya, defeating Macao’s Chu Man Sin 5-0 in the quarterfinals to secure a place on the podium. She then beat Indonesia’s Thania Kusumaningtyas 2-0 in the semifinal to book her place in the gold-medal bout.

However, she could not get past Zhang in the final, going down 0-2 to finish with the silver medal.

The result was particularly significant given the uncertainty surrounding Roshibina’s place in the Indian team before the Games. She had lost to Divyanshi Choudhary in the selection trials and initially missed out on the seven-member Wushu squad approved by the Sports Ministry in August. Roshibina was later included in the team after Divyanshi was ruled out with an injury.

Divyanshi subsequently disputed the decision, claiming she was fit to compete and alleging that the federation had favoured Roshibina. Roshibina had reportedly finished fourth in the trials.

For Roshibina, the opportunity eventually turned into another memorable Asian Games campaign.

Hailing from a farming family in Kwasiphai village of Manipur’s Bishnupur district, Roshibina trains at the Sports Authority of India’s National Centre of Excellence in Imphal under coach Maibam Premkumar Singh. She has established herself as one of India’s leading Wushu athletes, particularly in the Sanda 60kg category.

Her international achievements have also earned her the Arjuna Award, one of India’s major national sporting honours. She was also named Female Wushu Athlete of the Year (Sanda) by the International Wushu Federation.

With three Asian Games medals now to her name, Roshibina has further strengthened her place among India’s most successful Wushu competitors on the continental stage.