Ahmedabad: The 11th Asian Aquatic Championship concluded spectacularly at the Veer Savarkar Sports Complex, Ahmedabad, as China dominated the final day of water polo, winning gold in both the men’s and women’s categories. The Chinese women’s team powered past Japan 22-17 in the final, while the men’s side edged Iran 16-15 (5-4) in sudden death after a tense draw in regulation time. Meanwhile, the Indian women’s team finished eighth overall and confirmed their qualification to the 2026 Asian Games despite an 11-18 defeat to Hong Kong in their classification match. The final day also saw enthusiastic crowds and special appearances by Bollywood actor Akshay Kumar and youth icon Lakshya Lalwani, who attended to cheer on the athletes and celebrate the spirit of Asian aquatic sport. In the women’s final, China outclassed Japan 22-17 to claim the top spot. Zhang Qishuo led the charge with a stunning 7 goals, while Wang Xuan (4) and Li Linyun (3) added to the tally. In the men’s final, China clinched the gold medal after a nail-biting 16-15 victory over Iran, which was decided in a penalty shootout (5-4) following a tightly contested match. Agencies
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