LUCKNOW, Aug. 1 -- India scripted a breakthrough in judo at the Commonwealth Games on Friday as Asmita Dey and Harsh Singh captured the country's first-ever gold medals in the sport, while Yamini Mourya claimed silver. With Dey striking gold, Uttar Pradesh etched another shining chapter in its sporting history. The 23-year-old judoka, originally from Tripura, is a serving sub-inspector in the UP Police for the past three years. Dey produced a spirited comeback to clinch the women's -48kg title, defeating Canada's Heidi Quach in a dramatic golden score contest here on Friday. She found herself on the back foot early in the final after conceding a yuko and then receiving a penalty, allowing Quach to take control of the bout. However, Asmita responded brilliantly, attacking with greater intent and levelling the scores at 1-1 shortly after the midway stage of the four-minute contest. She 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. Ever since the introduction of judo as a medal sport in the 1990 Auckland CWG, Indian judokas had won medals in all editions but never secured a top-of-the-podium finish. Chief minister Yogi Adityanath congratulated Asmita Dey on her win. "Heartiest congratulations to sub-inspector Asmita Dey of the UP Police for bringing glory to 'Maa Bharati' on the global stage by winning the gold medal in the women's 48kg judo event at #CWG2026!" he wrote on X. If Asmita's winning and credentials meet norms of Uttar Pradesh government, she will be richer with a biggest purse of Rs 6 crore. Earlier this week, Aligarh's Gulveer Singh won a silver medal in the 10,000m race. He will be entitled to Rs 4 crore for his effort. Her gold medal at the CWG added a fresh and memorable chapter to UP's sporting legacy. It comes seven years after Punam Yadav and Jitu Rai gave Uttar Pradesh proud Commonwealth Games moments at Gold Coast 2018. Punam Yadav, hailing from the Varanasi region, won gold in the women's 69 kg weightlifting event, while Lucknow's Jitu Rai, representing the 11th Gorkha Rifles, captured gold in the men's 10m air pistol. Together, those victories had placed UP firmly on the Commonwealth Games map. Asmita Dey's journey is a story of grit, discipline and steady progress. Born in Belonia in South Tripura, she did not begin as a judoka. She first took up athletics and competed in the 800m before a coach noticed her physical potential and introduced her to judo. That switch changed her life. In 2015, she joined the Tripura Sports School and trained under experienced coaches, gradually developing the technical base and competitive temperament needed for judo. Her rise came step by step. From early promise in school-level competitions and the Khelo India circuit, Asmita moved to the Sports Authority of India Regional Centre in Bhopal, where she trained under a national programme and refined her game further. Her presence in the UP Police added a new dimension to her career. While serving as a sub-inspector for the last three years, she continued to compete and win medals, showing that professional duty and elite sport can go hand in hand. In fact, she had already been winning medals for the state before her CWG triumph, reflecting both her consistency and the support system around her. Her breakthrough on the international stage came in 2022, when she won a bronze at the Asian Cadet and Junior Judo Championships in Bangkok, becoming the first judoka from Tripura to win an international medal. That was followed by strong results at junior and senior levels, including a gold at the Junior Asia Cup in Macau and a silver at the Asian Open in Kuwait City....