Glasgow: Soon after achieving the biggest success of her career so far, Indian judoka Asmita Dey dedicated her gold medal in the Commonwealth Games 2026 to everyone who stood by her journey and thanked Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath for giving her a job in the state police. “I am so happy with the gold. This is for all who supported me. I also want to thank Yogi ji for giving me the job in UP Police,” Asmita told IANS immediately after her victory. Asmita, who hails from Tripura but is settled in Varanasi, delivered a strong and focused performance to win the women’s 48kg judo gold medal, defeating Canada’s Heidi Quach 2-1 in a tightly contested final at the Commonwealth Games 2026 on Thursday. “Today, my mindset was simply that I am the best in 48 kg today, and I must win gold—for my country, for myself, my coach, my parents, everyone, and for my relatives as well… I work in the Uttar Pradesh Police, and I want to thank Yogi Adityanath because he gave me a job in the UP Police. Through that, I got support for my family, which enabled me to come here and win the gold medal,” Asmita added. In a nail-biting title match, the Indian judoka remained composed during the crucial moments. She combined smart strategy with solid defense to get past Quach, claiming the biggest win of her Commonwealth Games journey. Asmita also talked about how she had to go without food in the morning to make the weight for the random weigh-in before the final. “Actually, 1 couldn’t eat much because there is a random weigh-in, where you have to be under 50 kg. Already, when I woke up in the morning, I was at 50 kg 300 g, so I couldn’t eat much. When my name came up for the random weigh-in, I had expected it, and after that, once I completed the random weigh-in, I ate and drank, and then an hour later I had my fight,” she added. The gold medal increased India’s growing medal count in Glasgow and highlighted the country’s steady improvement in judo at the Commonwealth level. Asmita looked dominant throughout the competition. She advanced confidently through the preliminary rounds and saved her best performance for the final. Against the seasoned Canadian competitor, she kept her cool under pressure and took advantage of key scoring chances to maintain her lead and secure the win. This victory allowed Asmita to join the list of India’s Commonwealth Games gold medalists, creating another unforgettable moment for the Indian team in Glasgow. Her achievement also showcased the ongoing progress of Indian judo globally and is likely to inspire a new generation of athletes aiming for top honours. –IANS cs/bsk/
CWG 2026: ‘This gold is for Yogi-ji who supported me,’ says Asmita Dey after judo triumph
