Firstpost Spodcast Episode 22: Vinesh Phogat makes history, Deepak Kumar claims shooting silver, and more on our daily podcast

Welcome to Spodcast, the sports update on Firstpost, where we do a quick run through of the big sports news of the day. In today’s episode, we talk about Vinesh Phogat’s historic Asian Games gold medal, Deepak Kumar claiming silver in shooting, India’s thumping win over Indonesia in men’s hockey and India’s shock loss to South Korea in the men’s kabaddi event. India have won another gold medal at the 2018 Games. Vinesh Phogat became the first Indian woman to win a gold in wrestling at the Asian Games. She beat all her opponents easily to clinch the top spot in the 50kg category. The 23-year-old from Haryana, a cousin of the Phogat sisters on whom the film Dangal was made, had won gold at the Commonwealth Games this year, and was a medal favourite in her event. She expected a stiff challenge from Japan’s Yuki Irie. But Vinesh beat her 6-2 in the final. Phogat had won bronze at the 2014 Asian Games in the 48kg event. Meanwhile, wrestlers Sakshi Malik and Pooja Dhanda lost their respective semifinals in the 62kg and 57kg categories. A silver medal in shooting came India’s way as Deepak Kumar took second place in the men’s 10m air rifle event. He scored 247.7 points to finish behind China’s Haoran Yang who scored 249.1 to take the gold. Chinese Taipei’s Shaochuan Lu won the bronze. Deepak beat Lu in the second-place shoot-off after scoring a perfect 10.9. Compatriot Ravi Kumar, who had earlier bagged a bronze in the mixed event with Apurvi Chandela, couldn’t finish on the podium. Meanwhile, Lakshay Sheoran finished with a silver in the men’s trap event in shooting. The 19-year-old scored 39 out of 45 to finish second, behind gold medalist Kunpi Yang of Taipei who scored 48. Indian shooter Manavjit Singh Sandhu, who had topped the qualification, finished fourth. In hockey, the Indian men’s team won against hosts Indonesia 17 goals to nil. Three Indian players scored hat tricks as India piled on the goals against a hapless Indonesia. Their next match is against Hong Kong on the 22nd. Hong Kong were beaten 11-0 by South Korea in their opening game. In a result that came as a surprise, India lost to South Korea in kabaddi. This is India’s first loss in kabaddi at the Asian Games in 28 years. In a closely fought match that went down to the wire, 2014 bronze winners South Korea edged out the defending champions 24-23. The women’s kabaddi team defeated Thailand 33-23, continuing their dominating form from the opening game where they beat Japan 43-12.