India's fencing campaign ends medal-less at Asiad 2026

India's fencing contingent at the 2026 Asian Games concluded its campaign without securing a medal after both competing athletes fell short in the women's individual sabre event. Olympic pioneer C A Bhavani Devi and Shreya Gupta were eliminated in the pre-quarterfinal stage, ending India's quest for honours in the sport.

Bhavani, the 32-year-old who became India's first Olympic fencer, reached the knockout stage after defeating Mongolia's Oulen Tugsjargan 15-8 in the round of 32. However, she faced a formidable challenge in China's Rao Xueyi, the 2026 World Championships silver medallist, and suffered a decisive defeat. Rao dominated the bout from the outset, establishing an 8-2 advantage by the end of the opening period before securing a 15-5 victory.

Shreya's campaign also ended prematurely in the same round when she lost to South Korea's Jeon Ha-young. Shreya had advanced to the knockout stage after finishing third in her pool group. Both athletes had earned their places in the round of 16 through respectable pool-stage performances, with Bhavani finishing fourth in Pool 4 and Shreya securing the third-place position in Pool 2.

The elimination of both fencers marks the conclusion of India's fencing participation at the Games, with the contingent unable to add to the country's medal haul in the sport.