For the first time since kabaddi's Asian Games inclusion in 1990, India will return without a gold medal and it was one of their own who helped plot their downfall. Iran stunned India 27-24 to claim women's gold on Friday and at their helm was a 62-year-old bespectacled coach from the west Indian town of Nasik.
Shailaja Jain has spent more than three decades coaching hundreds of kids in Maharashtra, but never got an opportunity to lead the India national team, which still rankles with her.
So when Iran offered her a deal last year to coach their women's team, she took it as a challenge to prove her credentials, which she did in emphatic fashion at Theatre Garuda. It was India's second surprise defeat after their men's team were also beaten by Iran in the semi-finals on Thursday.
Jain joined the Iranian team 18 months back and since then she has played a crucial role in their success.
It's a great day for IR Iran's Kabaddi athletes as they collected Gold for both Men's and Women's team! This is the first Gold for the Men's team, also the first women's team to beat India in Kabaddi at the Asian Games! #AsianGames2018 #EnergyOfAsia š· INASGOC/ANTARA pic.twitter.com/7TyppQovXF
— Asian Games 2018 (@asiangames2018) August 24, 2018
Iran today ended India's dominance at the Asian Games kabaddi by winning the women's title with a close 27-24 win in the final.
"When I visited Iran first time after taking up the job, I said this is my mission, to prove I'm the best coach. And now we have the result," an elated Jain said. "Today our defence after the first five minutes was very tight, which was crucial to our win. And three of our raiders were excellent."
In a historic moment, #IRAN’s #WOMEN #Kabaddi team secure #GOLD, after beating longtime Champion, #India’s Team, 27-24, forcing India to settle for silver at 2018 #AsianGames . pic.twitter.com/FNzIv6BxPm
— Iran_Newsroom (@Iran_NewsRoom) August 24, 2018
Jain said after initially struggling to relay her thought process to the Iranian players, she decided to learn the local language.
"Communication was not easy, so I learnt Farsi. Before the match I told the girls 'don't sent me back to India without the gold medal'. Some of them came back and told me 'madam, we've given you what you wanted'," she said.
What an upset in #Kabaddi. Iran has beaten India. And how. It was such a comprehensive victory for Iran that it almost looked one-sided. And to underline, they are in finals of both Men and Women Kabaddi. They simply outclassed India. Must give credit where due.
— Yashwant Deshmukh (@YRDeshmukh) August 23, 2018
"This final match was very special for me and the team. After a long time, Iran won a gold. I'm thankful to the federation for showing faith in me."
Being an Indian, she is obviously disappointed for the Indian team but as a true professional she had never let her nationality come in the way of her job.
#TeamIndia at the #AsianGames2018
— Team India (@ioaindia) August 24, 2018
Iranian Women's Kabaddi team showed that they are made of nerves of steel, to topple the undefeated #AsianGames champions of Kabaddi. Indian Women's Kabaddi team suffers a shocker loss at the hands of Iran, to settle for Silver.#IAmTeamIndia pic.twitter.com/7HOgCRlkLQ
"I'm sad India lost. Like any other Indian, I love my country. But I love kabaddi also. Being their coach, I think only of the Iran team. Kabaddi is very popular in India. They all know what kabaddi is about. Everyone watched this match back in Iran," she said.
Jain said she didn't work on the physical aspect of the Iranians, instead her challenge was to create strategies. "In those seven months, they learnt the tactics and strategy. I didn't have to work on their fitness, they already were supremely fit," she said.
#Kabaddi
— The Field (@thefield_in) August 24, 2018
Ajay Thakur can't quite believe it. He's in tears as are the women's team. It's agonising for every Indian kabaddi player out there, bested by Iran not once, but twice.#AsianGames2018 Live updates: https://t.co/kTOAEimC8x pic.twitter.com/bK5zGbdJwW
Iran beat India in the women's kabaddi final! It's the first time India has ever failed to win the Asian Games gold.
— AFP Sport (@AFP_Sport) August 24, 2018
But will come as no surprise to Iran's coach, who tells @andrewmarszal how the game's ancient roots originated in her country.https://t.co/etHBeG7TqL pic.twitter.com/ElmciywIFQ
