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Ramesh Budhial wins India’s first Asian surfing medal

Ramesh Budhial became India’s first medallist at the Asian Surfing Championships, clinching bronze in the Open Men’s category with 12.60 points in a historic performance in Chennai.

News Arena Network - Chennai - UPDATED: August 10, 2025, 02:45 PM - 2 min read

Ramesh Budhial in action during the Asian Surfing Championships in Chennai, where he claimed bronze in the Open Men’s category to become the first Indian to win a continental surfing medal.

Ramesh Budhial carved a slice of history for Indian surfing on Sunday, becoming the country’s first medallist at the Asian Surfing Championships after clinching bronze in the Open Men’s category in Chennai.

The 23-year-old, who had already broken new ground by reaching the medal round, posted a score of 12.60 to finish third in a fiercely contested final.

Korea’s Kanoa Heejae produced a masterclass to claim gold with 15.17 points, while Indonesia’s Pajar Ariyana took silver with 14.57. The Korean’s dominance did not end there, he also struck gold in the Under-18 boys’ category later in the day with a score of 14.33, ahead of China’s Shidong Wu (13.10) and Shulou Jiang (8).

The Asian Surfing Championships 2025, which is underway in Mahabalipuram sea beach in Tamil Nadu, has drawn over 100 surfers from 20 Asian countries in four short-board divisions, Open Men, Open Women, U18 Boys, and U18 Girls. Participating nations include India, Japan, Korea, Indonesia, China, Singapore, the Maldives, Saudi Arabia, the UAE, and many more. The stakes are high: the event doubles as the final qualification gateway for the 2026 Asian Games and offers direct entry to the SurfCity El Salvador ALAS Global Finals for Open Men’s and Women’s champions.

Also read: Budhial enters Asian Surfing C’ships final

In the Open Women’s division, Japan asserted its supremacy with Anri Matsuno winning gold on 14.90 points, narrowly holding off compatriot Sumomo Sato, who tallied 13.70. Thailand’s Isabel Higgs took bronze with 11.76.

The girls’ U18 category saw China enjoy a one-two finish. Siqi Yang surged ahead of the field with 14.50 points, while Shuhan Jin posted 10.33 to secure silver. Thailand’s Isabel, already a senior bronze medallist, picked up another third-place finish with 8.10 points.

For Budhial, the Chennai result was more than a personal milestone, it was a breakthrough moment for Indian surfing on the continental stage, signalling that the nation can hold its own against Asia’s finest.

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ramesh-budhial-wins-india-s-first-asian-surfing-medal