Asian Games 2026 Hockey: Manpreet Singh shared a glimpse of Team India’s celebrations after the men’s hockey team retained its Asian Games gold medal in Aichi-Nagoya. The victory over Malaysia not only gave India back-to-back Asian Games titles but also secured the team’s direct qualification for the Los Angeles 2028 Olympics.
India produced a commanding performance in the gold-medal match on Saturday, defeating Malaysia 5-1 to complete a successful title defence. The celebrations continued after the final whistle, with Manpreet sharing a video capturing the Indian team enjoying the landmark achievement together.
WATCH: Team India Celebrates After Asian Games Gold
The video posted by Manpreet features members of the Indian hockey team celebrating together after their emphatic victory. The players can be seen enjoying the moment after completing their campaign with the gold medal and an Olympic qualification spot.
For the Indian players, the win was particularly significant because the Asian Games title came with a direct ticket to the 2028 Olympics.
India Beat Malaysia 5-1 In Gold Medal Match
India started strongly in the final, with Harmanpreet Singh opening the scoring. Malaysia responded through Shello Silverius, but India regained the lead through Jugraj Singh.
Hardik Singh then converted a penalty stroke before Shilanand Lakra extended India’s advantage. Harmanpreet added another goal as India eventually secured a 5-1 victory.
The result made India the first team to successfully defend the men’s hockey Asian Games title. India had previously won gold in 1966, 1998, 2014 and 2022.
Manpreet Singh Wins Third Asian Games Gold
The triumph was another major milestone in Manpreet Singh’s career. The veteran midfielder was part of India’s gold-medal-winning teams at the 2014 and 2022 Asian Games, and the 2026 triumph gave him his third Asian Games gold medal.
Manpreet has also represented India at multiple Olympic Games and has been one of the most experienced players in the national setup.
His latest Asian Games triumph therefore carried added significance, with the gold medal also guaranteeing India’s place at the next Olympics.
India Secure Direct Qualification For Los Angeles 2028
India’s gold medal confirmed their place at the Los Angeles 2028 Olympics without the need to go through the qualification tournament.
The Asian Games gold was one of the major targets for the Indian men’s hockey team, with the continental title offering the Olympic berth.
After the final whistle in Aichi-Nagoya, the Indian players could finally celebrate knowing that they had achieved both objectives, retaining their Asian Games crown and booking their ticket to Los Angeles.
Manpreet’s video offered fans a glimpse of those celebrations as the Indian team marked another memorable night in the country’s hockey history.
Priyanshu Priyadarshi is a sports journalist with News X, part of ITV Network, covering cricket, football, hockey and other major sporting events. He has also worked with The Sunday Guardian, another publication under the ITV Network, and previously with Jagran New Media. Throughout his career, Priyanshu has covered multiple tournaments across cricket, football, hockey and other major sports, delivering timely news, match reports, in-depth analysis and compelling sports stories. With a keen interest in cricket and a passion for sports journalism, he is committed to bringing readers accurate, insightful and engaging coverage of the biggest moments in the sporting world.
