New Delhi, June 1 (IANS) Home Minister Amit Shah praised the Indian contingent for their rich medal haul at the Asian U20 Athletics Championships, saying the feat of winning 19 medals is “the signature of India’s unstoppable sporting prowess”.

The Indian contingent wrapped up their campaign in style by adding three gold medals to their tally on the final day and overall finished second with 19 medals, including 10 gold, five silver and four bronze medals.

“Bravo to the Indian contingent at the 22nd Asian U20 Athletics Championships 2026 held in Hong Kong. Your feat of winning 19 medals, including 10 golds, is the signature of India’s unstoppable sporting prowess that will inspire legions of athletes across the nation,” Amit Shah shared on X.

Based on the total number of medals, it was not India’s best-ever return at the competition, but the benchmark remains the 2024 edition in Dubai, where India won 29 medals, including seven gold, 11 silver and 11 bronze.

Union Minister of Health and Family Welfare and Minister of Chemicals and Fertilisers Jagat Prakash Nadda also congratulated the Indian team for their impressive show in Hong Kong.

“My heartfelt congratulations to India’s talented contingent for delivering an exceptional performance at the 22nd Asian U20 Athletics Championships. Securing 19 medals, including 10 gold medals, is a reflection of the determination and passion of our young athletes. Their achievements have brought immense pride to the nation and highlight the bright future of Indian athletics. May this success inspire countless youngsters to embrace sports and strive for excellence,” Nadda posted on X.

Defence Minister Rajnath Singh too praised the athletes for their commendable performance. “Heartiest congratulations to India’s young athletes for their remarkable performance at the 22nd Asian U20 Athletics Championships. India recorded one of its finest-ever performances at the championship, securing 19 medals, including 10 Golds. This outstanding achievement reflects the talent, hard work, and determination of our young athletes. The growing success of Indian sports is being driven by greater support for athletes, improved infrastructure, and a strong national focus on sporting excellence under the leadership of Prime Minister Shri @narendramodi. May these achievements inspire many more young Indians to take up sports and bring greater glory to the nation.”

Former India cricketer Shikhar Dhawan also praised the Indian athletes, saying “Every medal starts with a dream and years of hard work. Congratulations to our U20 athletes on finishing with 19 medals and second place at the Asian Championships.”

–IANS

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