India’s Naorem Roshibina Devi had to settle for silver medal after she lost the Wushu (Sanda) 60kg category final at Asian Games 2026 to Zhang Xiaoyu of China.
Updated: September 24, 2026, 10:43 AM IST
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India’s Naorem Roshibina Devi competes in the Wushu (Sanda) event at Asian Games 2026(Photo: IANS)
Asian Games 2026: Till a few weeks back, veteran Wushu player Naorem Roshibina Devi wasn’t even sure if she will make the cut and make the trip to Japan for the Asian Games 2026She was controversially picked at the last minute by the Wushu Association of India (WAI) in spite of charges of mental harassment by fellow player Divyanshi Choudhary in selection controversy in the build-up to the Games.
The 25-year-old from Kwasiphai, Bishnupur in Manipur became the first-ever Wushu player from India to complete a hat-trick of medals at the Asian GamesThe Indian star disappointingly lost 0-2 to Zhang Xiaoyu of China in the women’s 60kg final at the Aichi budokan on Thursday.
“What happened was not because of meIt was federation’s decision (to pick her for Asian Games)Whatever decision the federation (Wushu Association of India) took, I think it was a good decision,” Roshibina was quoted as saying by PTI news agency on Thursday.
“I will ignore it (the accusation)I just want to focus on my goal,” the 25-year-old said.
A historic moment captured as Naorem Roshibina Devi proudly holds her Silver Medal at the Asian Games 2026, becoming the first Indian Wushu athlete to win medals at three consecutive Asian Games✨
Jakarta 2018 | Hangzhou 2022 | Aichi-Nagoya 2026#AsianGames2026… pic.twitter.com/sJqeqxXDlE
— SAI Media (@Media_SAI) September 24, 2026
Divyanshi Choudhary, who had beaten Roshibina in the Asian Games 2026 trials in Srinagar in June but was later dropped from the squad following an ACL injuryShe went on to accuse the Manipur veteran of working against her to get into the Asian Games team.
“I am really fed upI have been harassed so much mentally from June, July to now, it’s September, I am being harassed, because she (Roshibina) wanted to go (to the Asian Games),” Divyanshi had said in a video on social media.
“Why is she not letting anyone else go? I have defeated her (in the selection trial)I have the right to go to Asian Games,” Divyanshi had claimed.
Roshibina revealed that she got to know about her inclusion in the Asian Games 2026 team only a few days before the team departure“There was a lot of disturbance when I came here for the Asian GamesI did not get much time to prepareIf I had more time, I would have done better,” she said.
Who is Naorem Roshibina Devi?
Roshibina Devi is representing India in the Wushu women’s Sanda 60kg categoryRoshibina Devi comes from a family of farmers in Kwasiphai, Bishnupur district on Manipur.
She trains in the Women’s Sanda 60kg category at SAI NCOE Imphal under coach Maibam Premkumar Singh and is one of India’s most decorated and experienced Wushu athletesShe won her first Asian Games medal in Jakarta back in 2018 and followed it up with a silver five years later at Asian Games 2023 in Hangzhou.
Roshibina Devi was awarded the Arjuna Award in 2024 for her achievements in Wushu on the international stageApart from Asian Games medals, she is gold medallist at the South Asian Games 2019 in Nepal as well as Asian Junior Wushu Championships in 2017 in Gumi, South Korea.
She was also named IWUF Female Wushu Athelete of the Year (Sanda) back in 2023.
