Asian Games: How Saurabh Chaudhary became India's youngest gold medallist

India’s Saurabh Chaudhary was only 16 years, three months and nine days old when he won the gold medal in the men’s 10m air pistol event at the 2018 Asian Games in Jakarta.

The feat made the shooter the youngest Indian to win a gold medal at the Asian Games. Saurabh Chaudhary is also the youngest Indian individual medallist at the continental multisport quadrennial event.

The 2018 Asian Games was Saurabh Chaudhary’s first senior international outing. At the shooting competition, he pipped compatriot Abhishek Verma, who won bronze, and topped a final which had Jin Jong Oh, a shooting great from the Republic of Korea.

Saurabh Chaudhary, who had topped the qualification round, shot an Asian Games record score of 240.7 to beat former world champion Tomoyuki Matsuda of Japan (239.7) in the final.

Saurabh Chaudhary also became the youngest Indian to win a medal, of any colour, at the Asian Games but the record stood for just a single day before it was broken by a fellow shooter and his neighbour from Meerut, Shardul Vihan.

Shotgun shooter Shardul Vihan took on the record after clinching the men’s double trap silver medal at the 2018 continental meet. He was just 15 years, seven months and 12 days at the time.

Youngest Indian to win a medal at the Asian Games

Shardul Vihan’s record lasted for five years. At Hangzhou 2023, Sanjana Bathula became the youngest Indian to win a medal at the Asian Games.

Competing in the women's speed skating 3000m relay event at the Asian Games 2023, Team India finished third to win a bronze medal. The Indian roller skating team comprised Sanjana Bathula, Karthika Jagadeeswaran, Heeral Sadhu and Aarathy Kasturi Raj.

Sanjana Bathula was 15 years, three months and 11 days old when she won the medal. Team-mate Karthika Jagadeeswaran, meanwhile, was only 15 years, 11 months and 27 days old.

A few days earlier, another 15-year-old had won a medal for India in Hangzhou. Anahat Singh won a bronze medal in the women’s team event in squash. She was 15 years, six months and 16 days old at the time and briefly set the record for being the youngest medal-winner for India at the Asian Games.

Less than a week later, Anahat won another bronze, this time in the mixed doubles event, with partner Abhay Singh.

"To be a 15-year-old girl and come to the Asian Games and win two bronzes, she's showing what she's capable of,” Abhay Singh said.

Before Hangzhou, the record for the youngest Indian woman to win a medal at the Asian Games was held by sailor Varsha Gautham. She was 16 years, eight months and 18 days old when she won a bronze in the women’s 29er with Aishwarya Nedunchezhiyan at Incheon 2014.