Indian esports athletes are rigorously training for the Asian Games in Nagoya, aiming for medals and challenging the traditional perception of gaming as merely a leisure activity. With professional support and coaching, players are balancing academics and intense practice, hoping to elevate esports to mainstream sporting status in India.
Irish boxing legend Katie Taylor has retired from professional boxing after a stellar career, concluding with a unanimous decision victory over Flora Pili at Croke Park. Before a massive 83,000-strong home crowd, Taylor, an undisputed world super-lightweight champion, celebrated her final fight, reflecting on her journey from Olympic gold to professional dominance.
Heavy rain in Nagoya led to the brief evacuation of around 400 athletes and officials and caused flooding and venue leaks, but the city's mayor, Ichiro Hirosawa, has confirmed that the Asian Games will proceed as planned without disruption.
Indian shooter Manu Bhaker finished fifth in the women's 10m air pistol at the Asian Games, an emotionally charged event for her following the recent death of her mentor and legendary coach Jaspal Rana. Bhaker broke down while recalling Rana's profound life and career advice, particularly his emphasis on process over outcome, which she tried to apply during her challenging performance.
The UEFA Champions League group stage commenced with thrilling matches as holders Paris St Germain, Arsenal, and Liverpool all secured victories. Ferran Torres netted a hat-trick for PSG in their dominant 6-1 win, while Martin Odegaard's late strike gave Arsenal a 1-0 triumph over Napoli. Liverpool came from behind to beat Atletico Madrid 2-1, and Barcelona also started strong with a 5-1 win against Feyenoord.
The Indian Railway Ministry has issued a new circular allowing sportspersons to carry oversized and bulky sports equipment, such as javelins, on trains. This relaxation, however, excludes pole-vault poles due to technical feasibility. The equipment can be transported in designated luggage spaces on a priority basis, subject to freight charges, and existing weight limits will not apply.
Sri Lankan javelin thrower Rumesh Pathirage faces a significant setback for the upcoming Asian Games after five of his "winning" javelins were damaged during air travel from Budapest. Pathirage, a favourite for gold, had used these specific javelins for his record-breaking throws and recent victories, including beating Neeraj Chopra.
India's Asian Games campaign saw its medal tally rise to 17 with strong performances in athletics, wushu, kabaddi, and hockey, despite some disappointments in shooting, boxing, and gymnastics. The mixed 4x400m relay team secured silver, while Seema won bronze in 10,000m. Wushu player Roshibina Devi claimed silver, and rowers added a bronze. Kabaddi and men's hockey teams continued their unbeaten runs, advancing to later stages.
Indian chess teams, both Open and Women's, face a significant challenge to defend their Chess Olympiad titles in Samarkand, Uzbekistan, after crucial losses and a historical 'winner's curse' where no Open section champion has successfully defended their title in the last five editions.
A tripartite agreement between SAI, BAI, and SAA will establish the first National Centre of Excellence (NCoE) for swimming in the North Eastern Region, located at the Amingaon Sports Complex in Assam. This initiative aims to provide world-class training and nurture swimming talent across the region.
Brentford secured a historic 3-0 victory over Chelsea in a Premier League match, with second-half goals from Jaidon Anthony, Igor Thiago, and Fabio Carvalho. This marks Chelsea's third consecutive league game without a win and Brentford's first home win against Chelsea since 1938.
India's shooting campaign at the Asian Games faced a setback as Elavenil Valarivan and Parth Mane finished fourth in the 10m air rifle mixed team final, extending the country's wait for a gold medal. Despite strong qualification, the Indian pair struggled in the final, while China secured gold with a world record. This follows other near-misses for India, highlighting the intense competition and the need to convert strong starts into medals. The focus now shifts to upcoming events, including Manu Bhaker's participation.
India's U15 men's football team has been drawn into Group K for the inaugural FIFA U15 World Cup & Festival Azerbaijan 2026. Coached by Bibiano Fernandes, the team will play five qualification matches in Baku against Bahrain, Cameroon, Grenada, Laos, and Senegal, starting October 24. The tournament features 191 national teams and an 8v8 format.
Three-time Olympic medallist and six-time world champion Jonny Brownlee has announced his retirement from professional triathlon, concluding a highly decorated career in the sport.
Indian shooting star Manu Bhaker, a flagbearer at the Asian Games, has called upon her fellow athletes to concentrate on their performance and not be distracted by the organisational challenges and logistical issues marring the event's build-up. She emphasised that the opportunity is rare and should be seized with full dedication.
Dave Cousins, India's new national compound archery head coach, believes a historic first Olympic medal for India is inevitable. He is preparing the team for the Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games and has long-term plans for the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics, noting the changing Asian archery landscape and the impressive work ethic of Indian archers.
Real Madrid has defended its players' right to hold differing opinions after Kylian Mbappe and Vinicius Jr. obscured a solidarity message for the people of Ceuta on their shirts before a LaLiga match, an act that sparked controversy.
Young Indian shooters Himanshu Dhillon and Rudrankksh Patil secured individual silver and bronze medals respectively in the men's 10m air rifle event at the Asian Games. They also combined with Parth Mane to win a team silver, contributing significantly to India's medal tally in shooting.
India's athletics campaign at the Asian Games is set to begin, with star shot putter Tajinderpal Singh Toor aiming for a historic third consecutive gold. Long jumper Murali Sreeshankar and long-distance runner Gulveer Singh are also looking to upgrade their previous medals. Despite Neeraj Chopra's absence, the 75-member Indian team targets 25-30 medals across various events, including steeplechase, javelin, and high jump, facing strong competition from other Asian athletes.
Neetal Narang has been appointed as India's first Safeguarding Officer for the upcoming Asian Games, a role mandated by the Olympic Council of Asia.
Indian athlete Gulveer Singh secured three medals at the Asian Games, attributing his success to a strict vegetarian diet of pulses, chapati, and paneer, alongside mental strength derived from his devotion to Lord Hanuman. He became only the second Indian male to win three athletics medals in a single edition of the Games, running four races in five days and now setting his sights on Olympic and World Championship qualifications.
China leads the Asian Games medal tally after Day 10 with 143 gold medals, followed by Japan and South Korea. India is currently in 10th position with 6 gold, 21 silver, and 25 bronze medals.
Vithya Ramraj, after breaking PT Usha's 400m hurdles record, anchored the Indian women's 4x400m relay team to a gold medal at the Asian Games in Nagoya. This marked her third medal of the Games, with strong performances from Kiran Pahal, M R Poovamma, and Prachi.
The 2026 Hero Women's Indian Open will see the return of three past champions Shannon Tan, Liz Young, and Olivia Cowan at the DLF Golf & Country Club from October 22-25. The prestigious Ladies European Tour event, offering a USD 500,000 prize, will also feature other top international golfers and the Indian contingent vying for the title after a decade.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi extended his congratulations to Indian athletes who secured medals at the Asian Games. He specifically lauded Neeru Dhanda for her historic individual trap gold, the women's trap team for their silver, and the women's 4x400m relay squad for their gold-winning performance, highlighting their precision, speed, and teamwork.
Double Olympic medallist Manu Bhaker and defending shot put champion Tajinderpal Singh Toor have been selected as India's flag-bearers for the Asian Games opening ceremony. This decision highlights the significant contributions of shooting and athletics to India's medal tally, with a 158-strong contingent participating in the event.
Indian athletes delivered a stellar performance at the 2026 Asian Games in Nagoya, securing a gold medal in the women's 4x400m relay. The team's victory marked India's first track and field gold at the games. Additionally, India clinched several bronze medals in events like the 4x100m mixed relay, women's high jump, and men's 5000m, with Gulveer Singh achieving a remarkable hat-trick of podium finishes.
Track the Asian Games 2026 medal table with live updates, countrywise rankings, gold, silver, and bronze counts. Stay updated on India's performance and overall standings.
Li Wenwen secured +86kg Asian Games gold with 310kg and two Games records, then revealed her unusual floor-sleeping routine remains unchanged as she targets future Olympic success.
The Indian men's volleyball team secured its third consecutive victory at the Asian Games, defeating Qatar 3-2 in a hard-fought match to qualify for the quarterfinals. The team showed remarkable resilience, coming back from two sets down in a marathon encounter.
Star long jumper Murali Sreeshankar's ankle injury, sustained during the Asian Games where he won a silver medal, is not as serious as initially feared. His father and coach, S Murali, confirmed that the injury will require rest and rehabilitation, but Sreeshankar is expected to be ready for the next season.
Novak Djokovic returns at the China Open encouraged by his fitness, aiming to revive momentum against Nuno Borges at a venue where he remains unbeaten across 29 matches.
Indian canoe slalom paddlers Hitesh Kewat, Pradhyumna Singh Rathod, Pallavi Jagtap, and Rina Sen have successfully advanced to the semifinals in their respective events at the Asian Games. Shikha Chouhan also qualified for the semifinals in the women's kayak single. The semifinals and medal rounds for most are scheduled for Wednesday, with Chouhan competing on Thursday.
Mahindra Racing has announced the retention of Edoardo Mortara and Nyck de Vries as their drivers for the 2026-27 FIA Formula E World Championship season, marking the start of the Gen4 era. The duo, who joined in 2023, have contributed significantly to the team's success, including two wins and 10 podium finishes. This continuity aims to leverage their experience for future challenges.
Aaron Rai has made an impressive start at the BMW PGA Championship, leading the field with a 6-under 66. Playing alongside major champions Rory McIlroy and Ryan Fox, Rai's strong performance puts him in a prime position, while McIlroy and Fox also remain in contention after their opening rounds.
India's wrestling campaign at the Asian Games will be spearheaded by Sujeet Kalkal, Antim Panghal, and Aman Sehrawat, all of whom face challenging draws. Sujeet is in red-hot form but could meet Olympic champion Kotaro Kiyooka, while Antim Panghal eyes a strong performance against Zhang Jin. Olympic medallist Aman Sehrawat also has a tough path, potentially facing another Olympic medallist early on. The wider Indian contingent also features medal hopefuls across freestyle, women's, and Greco-Roman categories.
The Indian women's hockey team, unbeaten in the Asian Games, is set to face South Korea in the semifinal, aiming to end a 44-year wait for a gold medal. With a strong performance in the pool stage and a superior world ranking, India enters the match as favourites, relying on key players like Deepika and Navneet Kaur, and solid goalkeeping.
The Indian track cycling teams were eliminated from the medal races in the men's and women's team sprint and women's team pursuit events at the Asian Games in Nagoya. Despite their efforts, the teams could not match the pace of competitors like China, Japan, and Chinese Taipei, thus ending India's medal hopes in these disciplines.
Rinku Singh is making the most of his break in the UK, swapping cricket for football and basketball.
FIFA has accused UEFA of waging a 'misinformation campaign' and attempting to influence its upcoming presidential election, urging a US court to reject a discovery request related to a controversial, now-abandoned investment proposal for World Cup commercial rights.
