HRH PRINCE JIGYEL UGYEN WANGCHUCK ENCOURAGES TEAM BHUTAN TO BUILD ON ASIAN GAMES EXPERIENCE

Bhutan’s campaign at the 2026 Asian Games brought memorable performances, valuable international experience and encouraging signs for the future of sports in Bhutan.

During an audience with Team Bhutan, His Royal Highness Prince Jigyel Ugyen Wangchuck acknowledged the team’s achievement as Bhutan’s best performance at the Asian Games and encouraged the athletes and the BOC to build on this progress. His Royal Highness emphasised the importance of learning from the experience, strengthening athlete development and creating better opportunities for Bhutanese athletes to compete at the highest level.

Among the standout achievements, Kinley Tshering secured fifth place in the Recurve Men’s Individual archery event, while Kinga Wangmo finished fifth in the Women’s 54kg boxing event at the 2026 Asian Games. Both athletes delivered notable performances on the continental stage, earning their places among the top five in their respective events.

Kinga made history by becoming the first Bhutanese woman to win an Asian Games boxing bout. Competing in the Women’s 54kg category, she defeated Bahrain’s Maryam Khamis by a unanimous 5–0 decision before her campaign ended in the quarter-finals against China’s Zhao Xuan. She went on to finish fifth overall.

Kinley also impressed in the Recurve Men’s Individual archery event, winning three elimination matches to reach the quarter-finals. His shoot-off victory over China’s Li Mengqi was another memorable moment in Bhutan’s campaign, as he went on to secure fifth place overall.

Archery delivered further encouraging results. Tandin Dorji scored 710 points to finish fourth in the men’s individual compound qualification round. He also joined Tshetum Gaytshey and Kezang Norbu in helping Bhutan’s men’s compound team reach the quarter-finals after a narrow victory over Malaysia.

In the women’s compound event, Dorji Dema defeated Japan’s Sato Mariko before her campaign ended against India’s Taniparthi. Lam Dorji also reached the quarter-finals in the Recurve Men’s Individual event after winning three elimination matches.

Bhutan was also represented in athletics by Gawa Zangpo and Sangay, while Dorjee Yangkee competed in taekwondo, giving the team valuable experience across different sporting disciplines.

These performances offer an important picture of where sports in Bhutan stand today and the work needed to progress further. Competing against Asia’s leading athletes provides valuable experience while highlighting areas where preparation, training and athlete development can be strengthened.

The focus now is to build on this experience through consistent training, greater exposure to international competition, and stronger support for athletes and coaches. Initiatives such as the Bhutan Olympic Committee’s Ecosystem 2.0 can help create a more effective and sustainable pathway for sporting development.

The Asian Games campaign has provided a foundation to build on. With continued commitment, the right support and more opportunities to compete internationally, Team Bhutan can continue working towards stronger performances in the years ahead.