Indian wrestling coach Virender Dahiya and star wrestler Antim Panghal express strong confidence in the national team's preparation and potential to secure gold medals at the upcoming Asian Games 2026 in Aichi-Nagoya, Japan.
Key Points
- Indian wrestling coach Virender Dahiya is confident of a 100% improved performance at the Asian Games 2026 in Aichi-Nagoya, Japan.
- Wrestler Antim Panghal highlights the team's strong preparation, cohesion, and collective ambition for gold medals.
- The Indian squad, featuring a blend of young and experienced wrestlers, aims to surpass its previous three bronze medals.
- India faces tough competition from wrestling powerhouses like Japan, South Korea, and China but is considered among the top teams.
- The Asian Games 2026 will be held from September 19 to October 4, with India looking to build on its record 107 medals from Hangzhou 2023.
Wrestling coach Virender Dahiya expressed confidence in India’s wrestling contingent ahead of the upcoming Asian Games, saying the team is well prepared and capable of improving on its previous performance.
The Asian Games 2026 will be held in Aichi-Nagoya, Japan, from September 19 to October 4, with India set to field athletes across several sporting disciplines as the country looks to build on its performances in previous editions.
India clinched a record 107 medals at Hangzhou 2023, including 28 gold, 38 silver and 41 bronze, and will look to better its performance in Aichi-Nagoya.
India's Wrestling Preparation for Asian Games
“Our team is good. Every time, we expect medals from wrestling. We are well prepared, and we expect to do better than last time,” Dahiya told ANI on Wednesday.
Dahiya acknowledged the challenge posed by strong Asian wrestling nations such as Japan, South Korea and China, but said India is also among the top teams in the region.
“The Asian Games are tough. We have to face teams like Japan, Korea and China. They are among the top teams in Asia, and India is also among the top four or five. If we have problems against them, they also have problems against us,” he said.
Speaking about the women’s wrestling team, Dahiya said the squad has a good mix of young and experienced wrestlers and is in a better situation compared to the previous Asian Games.
“Last time, we won three bronze medals, but there was a crisis in women’s wrestling. Now, thankfully, everything is fine. We have a good team with a balance of young and experienced wrestlers,” he said.
India won three bronze medals in wrestling at the previous Asian Games but did not secure a gold or silver medal. Dahiya is confident that the team can improve its medal tally this time.
“Last time, we did not win any gold or silver medals. We only won three bronze medals. I am 100 per cent confident that, looking at our preparation, the hard work of the wrestlers, and the support from the WFI and the Sports Ministry, we will perform 100 per cent better than last time,” he added.
Antim Panghal Shares Team's Gold Medal Ambition
Antim Panghal is confident about India’s wrestling contingent ahead of the upcoming Asian Games, saying the team has a good mix of senior and junior wrestlers and has been training together for the past three months.
Speaking to ANI on Wednesday, Antim said the wrestlers have been helping and guiding each other during their preparations, with the senior members also pointing out areas that need improvement.
“This time, our team is very good. We have both senior and junior wrestlers. We have been training together for the last three months. We help each other, and the seniors also guide us. They tell me what I am doing wrong and what I should work on. This training is helping us prepare well for the mat,” Antim said.
The wrestler also said there is no pressure despite the expectations of winning medals in wrestling. She said the entire team is aiming for gold and will give its best at the continental showpiece.
“Everyone wants to win a medal, and everyone is preparing to win gold. We are trying to give our 100 per cent. There is no pressure. We know what we have to fight for, and we train for that. We compete in other tournaments as well. The Asian Games are important because they are held once every four years, but we will give our 100 per cent,” she added.
Antim further highlighted the importance of improving their performances on the mat and working repeatedly on their mistakes during training.
“We will focus more on our work on the mat. We all have to fight on the mat, so it is not about doing separate training. We are focusing on our mistakes and working on them again and again so that we can execute them properly during the bout,” she said.
The 2026 Asian Games are scheduled to be held in Aichi-Nagoya, Japan, from September 19 to October 4. Indian wrestlers will look to improve on their performance from the previous edition in Hangzhou, where the country won three bronze medals in wrestling.
India clinched a record 107 medals at Hangzhou 2023, including 28 gold, 38 silver and 41 bronze, and will look to better its performance in Aichi-Nagoya.
Indian Wrestling Squad for Aichi-Nagoya
Dipanshi (women's 50kg), Antim Panghal (women's 53kg), Manisha Bhanwala (women's 57kg), Mansi Ahlawat (women's 62kg), Nisha Dahiya (women's 68kg), Priya Malik (women's 76kg), Aman Sehrawat (men's freestyle 57kg), Sujeet Kalkal (men's freestyle 65kg), Sagar Jaglan (men's freestyle 74kg), Deepak Punia (men's freestyle 97kg), Rajat Ruhal (men's freestyle 125kg), Sumit Dalal (Greco-Roman 60kg), Deepak (Greco-Roman 67kg), Aman (Greco-Roman 77kg), Sunil Kumar (Greco-Roman 87kg), Nitesh Kumar (Greco-Roman 97kg).
