Industry Odisha Bureau, Sep 24: Satnam Singh and Salman Khan salvaged bronze in the men’s double sculls. Balraj Panwar, also second after 1500m, finished fourth. The final 500 metres decided both.
Rowing finals are often settled in the last quarter of the course. India learned that twice over at the Asian Games 2026 in Aichi-Nagoya. Two Indian boats sat second with 500 metres left. One crossed the line with a medal; the other did not. Satnam Singh and Salman Khan won bronze in the men’s double sculls. Balraj Panwar finished fourth in the men’s singles sculls. It was a day that underlined how fine rowing’s margins can be.
Double Sculls Pair Stays in the Hunt
The Indian pair raced the men’s double sculls final with purpose. They occupied second place at the 500m checkpoint. They held the same spot at halfway, the 1000m mark. The order was unchanged at 1500m. For a spell, just half a second separated India from the Chinese leaders. A podium finish looked increasingly likely. The final stretch then reshuffled the chasing positions. Satnam and Salman slipped to third, stopping the clock at 6:13.25.
Chinese Crew Claims Men’s Double Sculls Gold
Gold went to China’s Yi Xudi and Nie Yide. The Indian pair finished 3.48 seconds adrift of the winners. Mekhrojbek Mamatkulov and Pavel Sorin collected silver. India’s margin to them stood at 2.76 seconds. Those gaps showed how quickly the race changed late on. The bronze rewarded a crew that raced near the front throughout.
Panwar’s Singles Sculls Bid Fades Late
Balraj Panwar’s men’s singles sculls final followed a familiar script. He was second at 500m. He was still second at 1000m and at 1500m. Behind him, Japan’s Tatsuya Sakurama trailed by five seconds. That gap looked comfortable heading into the closing 500 metres. It proved otherwise. Sakurama reeled Panwar in during the final stretch. Uzbekistan’s Shakhboz Kholmurzaev also moved past the Indian. Panwar lost ground and slipped out of the medal places.
Fourth Place in Singles Sculls Final
Panwar finished fourth in 6:54.80. He ended eight seconds behind Sakurama, whom he had led by five. China’s Zhiwei Deng won the singles sculls gold. Panwar crossed 15 seconds behind the champion. Three-quarters of a strong race went unrewarded on the podium.
India’s Asian Games Medal Tally Reaches 13
The double sculls bronze took India to 13 medals in Aichi-Nagoya. The haul at that point comprised one gold, five silvers and seven bronzes.
Same Checkpoints, Different Finishes
On paper, the two Indian races read almost identically. Second at 500m, second at 1000m, second at 1500m. Yet they were separate events with different fields. Rowing rarely rewards position at the checkpoints alone. The final 500 metres produced very different results. Panwar left without a medal in the singles sculls. Satnam Singh and Salman Khan held enough to secure bronze. Their men’s double sculls podium gave India’s rowing team a deserved reward.
