New Delhi, Oct. 2 -- India's women are Asian Games hockey champions again. A 1-0 win over defending champions China in Kakamigahara ended a drought that stretched back to 1982 and secured a direct berth at the Los Angeles 2028 Olympics. Under the FIH pathway for these Games, the gold brings an early Olympic quota, so continental glory and an Olympic ticket arrived together.

For Indian players and fans, Asian Games finals had become a story of near misses. Silver followed in 1998 against South Korea and again in 2018 against Japan. Friday's final against China carried that history, plus the knowledge that the winner would leave Japan with more than a medal. China arrived as defending champions and Olympic silver medallists. India arrived ...