The Cristiano Ronaldo Factor Behind India's First-Ever Judo Gold Medal At Commonwealth Games
Asmita Dey clinched the women's -48kg gold medal after defeating Canada's Heidi Quach in a gripping Commonwealth Games final that was decided in Golden Score, securing India's first judo gold medal of the Games.
Portugal football superstar Cristiano Ronaldo is arguably one of the most influential athletes in the world, with his inspiring story transcending boundaries. Not only footballers, but athletes from other sports, including cricket, have also drawn inspiration from the 41-year-old former Real Madrid and Manchester United talisman. Indian judoka Asmita, fresh from her gold medal-winning Commonwealth Games campaign, is the latest to open up about her admiration for Ronaldo. During a recent interaction, Asmita revealed that her gold medal triumph at the 2026 Commonwealth Games was inspired by Cristiano Ronaldo's remarkable life story.
"The person I watch and read about the most is Cristiano Ronaldo. He has gone through a lot of struggles in his life. I've followed his journey closely," Asmita said in a video shared by Sony Sports Network.
"He lost his father when he was 19, yet he still became the best player in the world. Today, the whole world knows who he is. I've watched his entire story and learned everything about his journey, so Ronaldo is the person who inspires me the most," he added.
Asmita clinched the women's -48kg gold medal after defeating Canada's Heidi Quach in a gripping Commonwealth Games final that was decided in Golden Score, securing India's first judo gold medal of the Games.
She was later joined on the podium by Harsh Singh, who won gold, Yamini Mourya, who claimed silver, and Unnati Sharma, who bagged bronze, taking India's judo medal tally to four.
In the gold medal match, Asmita prevailed by Yuko (2-1) with a composed and determined display in the final.
The final began as a closely contested affair, with both judokas engaged in intense grappling and repeatedly forcing each other towards the edge of the mat. Quach struck first midway through the contest with a throw to take the lead.
The Indian responded strongly despite receiving a Shido penalty, producing a quick throw of her own to level the scores. Asmita grew in confidence as the bout progressed, launching several attacking moves while defending resolutely against Quach's attempts to regain the advantage.
With the scores tied at the end of regulation time, the contest entered the Golden Score, where the first scoring action would decide the winner.
Asmita held her nerve in the extra period and executed a well-timed throw near the edge of the mat to secure the decisive Yuko, dramatically sealing the gold medal.
(With ANI Inputs)
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