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By Ishaan Kapoor — 31 July 2026 — 3 min read

India celebrated a significant day in judo at the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow on Friday, as Asmita Dey and Harsh Singh each secured gold medals in their respective categories. These victories mark a historic achievement for India in judo at the Commonwealth Games.

Dey’s Historic Gold in Women’s 48kg

Asmita Dey made history by becoming the first Indian judoka to win a Commonwealth Games gold medal. She achieved this milestone by defeating Canada‘s Heidi Quach in the women’s 48kg final. The match was decided by yuko (2-1) after a golden score contest, securing India’s inaugural judo gold at the event.

The 23-year-old from Tripura faced early pressure in the final, conceding a yuko and receiving a penalty, which allowed Quach to take an initial lead. However, Asmita responded with a more aggressive approach, leveling the contest at 1-1 shortly after the halfway point of the four-minute bout. Despite multiple exchanges, neither judoka scored the winning point during regulation time, leading to a Golden Score period.

During the sudden-death period, Asmita maintained her composure and delivered a decisive attack, earning another yuko. This crucial move sealed the gold medal for India, marking a memorable moment for the nation’s judo contingent.

Harsh Singh’s Triumph in Men’s 60kg

The celebrations continued for India as Harsh Singh claimed the men’s 60kg gold medal. He defeated Australia‘s Joshua Katz by waza-ari (10-0) in the final, securing India’s second judo gold medal at the Commonwealth Games. With this victory, Harsh became the first male judoka from India to win the title.

The 23-year-old, participating in his maiden Commonwealth Games, achieved the most significant title of his career. His performance against the Australian Olympian, who was widely considered the favorite for the gold, was characterized by composure and tactical acumen. Katz initiated the contest aggressively, but Harsh’s strong defense prevented the Australian from gaining an early advantage.

Harsh patiently sought opportunities throughout the match. At one point, Katz nearly pinned him, but the Indian judoka escaped and attempted to pin his opponent in return, though neither effort resulted in points. With less than a minute remaining and no scores on the board, Harsh executed the winning move at the 3:19 mark, performing a throw and pin that earned him a waza-ari.

A waza-ari is the second-highest score in judo, providing a substantial advantage. It is awarded for a throw that lacks one element required for an ippon, or for a ground hold lasting between 10 to 19 seconds. Two waza-aris are equivalent to one ippon, which immediately concludes the match.

Harsh remained unfazed by his opponent’s distinguished background, maintaining his focus throughout the contest. Katz, a 28-year-old, has an impressive resume, including multiple Oceania Championships and Australian national titles. He also represented Australia at the Olympics and earned a bronze medal at the 2022 Birmingham Commonwealth Games. Furthermore, Katz comes from a prominent judo family, with both his parents being former judokas, and his father having served as Australia‘s national judo coach at previous Olympic Games.

Despite Katz’s pedigree, Harsh’s decisive waza-ari proved sufficient to secure the victory, delivering India its second judo gold of the day. This triumph stands as the finest achievement in Harsh’s young career.

Source: timesofindia.indiatimes.com