Bichu Devi Hails Team Effort After India’s Historic Asian Games Hockey Gold

Goalkeeper says years of hard work paid off as India ended a 44-year wait for the women’s hockey title and secured direct qualification for the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics

Kakamigahara, Oct 2026 : Indian goalkeeper Bichu Devi Kharibam said the team’s sustained hard work and determination finally paid off after the women’s hockey team ended a 44-year wait for an Asian Games gold medal and secured direct qualification for the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics with a 1-0 victory over China in the final on Friday.

India produced a disciplined defensive performance to protect Lalremsiami’s 10th-minute goal and reclaim the Asian Games women’s hockey title for the first time since 1982. Captain Savita Punia also played a key role, making a crucial penalty-stroke save as defending champions China mounted pressure in search of an equaliser.

Reflecting on the victory, Bichu said the gold medal was a reward for the hard work put in by the team and coaching staff.

“Yes, it’s a good thing that I got the gold medal. All the hard work that I have put in has paid off today. God is with us. There is a saying that goes, work with your heart; God will make a way for you. All the hard work that we have put in has paid off today,” Bichu said after the match.

Qualification for the Los Angeles Olympics was one of India’s primary objectives at the Asian Games. Bichu said the players had entered the competition with a collective determination to secure their place at the 2028 Games and help take Indian hockey forward.

“The best thing is that as a team we decided that we want to qualify for LA. We want to play in LA. We want to take hockey to the next level. As a team we were hungry for that. We were able to show that today. We qualified for LA. I am very happy,” she said.

India had made a strong start to its Asian Games campaign, topping Pool A with four wins from four matches. The team then defeated Japan 7-2 in the semi-finals to set up a title clash against China.

The final proved considerably tighter. China started aggressively and created pressure during the opening quarter, but India remained composed after taking the lead through Lalremsiami. The Indian defence held its shape throughout the contest, while Savita’s penalty-stroke save further strengthened the team’s position.

Bichu said remaining calm and making the right decisions were crucial against a strong Chinese side.

“China has played very good hockey. In the first quarter, they were very aggressive. In their mind, they wanted to score a goal. So as a team, we decided to stay calm and make decisions which helped us win the match,” she said.

The Asian Games triumph represents another significant milestone in Bichu’s career. Born on December 3, 2000, in Manipur, she initially dreamed of becoming a footballer and wanted to play as a forward alongside her brothers.

Her career took a decisive turn when she emerged as part of India’s junior hockey setup. In 2018, she helped India win a historic silver medal at the Youth Olympic Games in Buenos Aires. The following year, she was named Goalkeeper of the Tournament at the Four-Nations Invitational in Ireland.

Bichu was also part of the Indian team that finished fourth at the 2021 Junior World Cup in South Africa. She made her senior international debut during the 2021-22 FIH Pro League and gradually established herself as an important member of India’s goalkeeping unit alongside veteran Savita.

Since then, Bichu has been part of several successful Indian campaigns, including gold-medal-winning teams at the 2023 and 2024 Women’s Asian Champions Trophy and the 2026 FIH Nations Cup. She also won silver at the 2025 Asia Cup and was part of India’s bronze-medal-winning side at the 2022 Asian Games.

With the Asian Games gold and Olympic qualification now added to her achievements, Bichu said she wanted to dedicate the historic victory to the people who had supported her throughout her journey.

“First of all, I would like to dedicate it to my family. After that, I would like to dedicate it to my team. After that, I would like to dedicate it to India,” she said.

For Bichu and her teammates, the victory not only ended a four-decade wait for Asian Games gold but also opened the door to another Olympic campaign in Los Angeles.