India's Historic Judo Win! Asmita Dey and Harsh Singh Win First-Ever Commonwealth Golds, Yamini Mourya Adds Silver

For years, Indian judo had come agonisingly close to the top of the Commonwealth Games podium. There were silver medals, bronze medals, and countless near misses. But on a remarkable day at the 2026 Commonwealth Games in Glasgow, history was finally rewritten.In a span of just a few hours, Asmita Dey and Harsh Singh clinched India's first-ever Commonwealth Games gold medals in judo, while veteran Yamini Mourya added a silver to complete India's finest day in the sport.Before Glasgow 2026, India had collected 11 Commonwealth medals in judo—five silver and six bronze—but never gold. That long wait is finally over.Asmita Dey's Golden Dream Begins in a Tiny Tripura VillageThe woman who etched her name into Indian sporting history comes from Belonia, a small town in Tripura, where dreams of international glory once seemed impossible. Twenty-three-year-old Asmita Dey is the daughter of a bicycle repair shop owner. Ironically, she never began her sporting journey as a judoka. She was initially an 800-metre runner and had even qualified for district athletics trials before a coach spotted her potential and introduced her to judo.That decision transformed her life. Asmita quickly rose through the ranks, winning multiple gold medals at the Khelo India University Games and the Junior National Championships. In 2022, she became the first judoka from Tripura to win an international medal for India after claiming bronze at the Asian Junior Championships.In Glasgow, she was unstoppable. She opened her campaign with a commanding ippon victory over Scotland's Eva Ewing before defeating another home favourite, Summer Shaw, 2-0 in the semifinals. The gold-medal clash against Heidi Quach proved to be a thriller. Asmita briefly trailed 0-1 before fighting back to level the contest. She held her nerve and secured a decisive yuko to seal a dramatic 2-1 victory and India's first-ever Commonwealth Games judo gold.Army Havildar Harsh Singh Delivers Another Historic GoldIf Asmita opened the floodgates, Harsh Singh ensured history would not stop at one. The 23-year-old Delhi judoka, who serves as a Havildar in the Indian Army, showcased remarkable dominance throughout the men's competition. Introduced to martial arts at a young age, Harsh later joined the Army's elite Judo Node, where promising athletes receive specialised training while serving the nation.His career received another major boost after joining the Inspire Institute of Sport (IIS), where access to international coaches, sports science experts and advanced physiotherapy elevated his game to another level. The results were evident in Glasgow.Harsh powered through the early rounds with consecutive ippon victories over Malawi's Chikondi Kathewara and Vanuatu's Alan Monthouel. He then overwhelmed Australia's Pedro Neto 10-0 in the semifinals with a brilliant waza-ari. The final saw another Australian, Joshua Katz, standing between Harsh and history. Once again, Harsh was in complete control, scoring a waza-ari before cruising to a commanding 10-1 victory to secure India's second gold medal of the evening.Veteran Yamini Mourya Completes India's Medal RushThe celebrations continued late into the night as Yamini Mourya ensured India finished the day with three medals. At 28, Yamini brought valuable experience to the Indian contingent. A multiple-time national champion from Sagar, Madhya Pradesh, she has been a consistent performer on the international circuit since 2022 and also trains at the Inspire Institute of Sport under coach Jiwan Sharma.She stormed into the final in spectacular fashion. Yamini dispatched Ghana's Frema Agyei and South Africa's Donne Breytenbach by ippon, spending just two minutes and eight seconds on the mat across both bouts. The gold-medal contest against world No. 13 Acelya Toprak proved to be an endurance battle.Yamini defended brilliantly for nearly seven gruelling minutes, pushing the contest deep into the golden score period. However, three passivity penalties ultimately handed Toprak the victory, leaving the Indian with a well-earned silver medal.Glasgow 2026 will forever be remembered as the day Indian judo broke its biggest barrier. Three medals, two historic golds and countless inspiring stories have ensured that Indian judo has entered a new era—one where standing atop the Commonwealth podium is no longer an aspiration, but a reality.