Harmanpreet Kaur was on Tuesday retained as captain of a largely predictable 15-member India squad for this year's Asian Games in Japan.
Taiwan's Lin Yu-ting has won a gold medal in the women's 60kg boxing category at the Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games, two years after facing a gender-eligibility dispute at the Paris Olympics. Lin was cleared to compete earlier this year and defeated China's Yang Chengyu. The article also highlights India's Lovlina Borgohain winning gold in the 75kg category.
India's premier long-distance runner, Gulveer Singh, is confident of improving his bronze medal performance from the 2022 Asian Games in the upcoming edition. Holding national records in multiple events, Singh is preparing for both the Commonwealth Games and Asian Games, focusing on strategic training under his US-based coach and utilising advanced sportswear technology.
Vinesh Phogat's return to competitive wrestling ended in a semi-final loss at the Asian Games selection trials, dashing her hopes of re-entering the national team after the 2024 Paris Olympics trauma.
The Indian women's hockey team secured a historic gold medal at the Asian Games by defeating China 1-0, also earning a direct qualification for the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics. Captain Salima Tete and other team members expressed immense pride and confidence in their victory, which ended a 44-year wait for gold. Four players from Jharkhand received a grand welcome, highlighting the personal journeys and struggles behind their national achievement.
Indian para track and field athletes delivered a spectacular performance at the Asian Para Games, securing 22 medals, including five gold, on Wednesday. Sprinter Simran Sharma was a standout, clinching her second gold medal in the women's 100m T12 event, making her only the fourth Indian to win two golds in the same edition. Other gold medallists included Dilip Gavit, Praveen Kumar, Ayush Verma, and Sachin Khilari, contributing to India's total of 42 para-athletics medals.
Indian para archers Sheetal Devi and Payal Nag secured a silver medal in the compound women's doubles final at the Asian Para Games on Wednesday.
Ankush Panghal secured a gold medal in boxing at the Asian Games, contributing to India's best-ever gold medal performance in boxing at the event, alongside Lovlina Borgohain and Parveen Hooda. This achievement follows a strong showing at the recent Commonwealth Games.
Suryakumar Yadav and Shubman Gill are missing from the list of probables for the Asian Games, while Vaibhav Sooryavanshi has been included in the 30-member squad submitted by the BCCI to the IOA.
The Sports Ministry wants Hockey India to pick its best teams for the Asian Games, sparking debate about managing player burnout with the World Cup also on the horizon.
Union Minister Kiren Rijiju expressed confidence that Indian fencers will secure medals at the upcoming Asian Games and qualify for the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics. He emphasized the need to popularize fencing in India, highlighting its potential to capture the youth's imagination and its significant medal opportunities at the Olympics. Rijiju also commented on the government's non-interference policy regarding sports federations' internal affairs, specifically addressing the Manika Batra selection issue.
Shailesh Kumar led an Indian sweep of the men's high jump T63 competition, while sprinter Anjanaben Bumbadiya struck gold in the women's 400m T47 event at the Asian Para Games on Thursday.
Indian men's hockey head coach Craig Fulton revealed that the hard-fought semi-final victory over arch-rivals Pakistan significantly boosted the team's confidence, leading to their dominant 5-1 win against Malaysia in the Asian Games final and securing a berth for the 2028 Olympics.
Four senior Indian hockey players Mandeep Singh, Jarmanpreet Singh, Amit Rohidas, and Nilakanta Sharma are reportedly set to play their final matches for the country at the upcoming Asian Champions Trophy. This decision by Hockey India aims to bring in fresh talent and groom younger players for the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics, ensuring a smooth transition for the national team.
Aryan Nehra has become the first Indian swimmer to complete the men's 800m freestyle in under eight minutes, setting a new Best Indian Time and qualifying for both the Commonwealth Games and Asian Games. Other swimmers like Rujula S and B. Benedicton Rohit also achieved new Best Indian Times at the National Aquatics Championships.
Boxer Lovlina Borgohain received a grand welcome in Guwahati after winning a gold medal at the Asian Games in the women's 75-kg category.
Praveen Kumar secured a gold medal with a Games record in the men's high jump T44/64 at the Asian Para Games, while Banti added a silver.
The 13-year-old skateboarder won the women's street event at the Asian Games on Wednesday.
Indian long jumper Murali Sreeshankar, who recently returned from a career-threatening injury, is confident of achieving a 'big jump' soon and aims to upgrade his silver medal to gold at the upcoming Commonwealth Games in Glasgow.
Indian hockey captain Harmanpreet Singh has emphasised the team's focus on improving its defensive performance ahead of the Asian Champions Trophy. India, chasing a record sixth title, will face Bangladesh in their opener on Tuesday. Harmanpreet stated that despite being favourites, the team will not underestimate any opponent and views the tournament as a crucial platform for both experienced players and youngsters, as well as preparation for the 2028 Olympics.
India achieved a remarkable six-gold haul on the penultimate day of the Asian Games, surging to fifth place with 76 medals. Key victories included the women's hockey team securing gold and Olympic qualification, historic boxing golds from Lovlina Borgohain, Parveen Hooda, and Ankush Panghal, a wrestling gold by Sujeet Kalkal, and maiden recurve archery gold. This strong finish significantly bolstered India's overall campaign.
Indian sprinter Simran has won her second gold medal at the Asian Para Games, triumphing in the women's 100m T12 event with a new Games record of 12.02 seconds on Wednesday. This follows her 200m gold on Tuesday, also achieved with a Games record. Simran, a 26-year-old Paralympics bronze medallist, is making a strong comeback with her new guide.
Asian Games medallists Aman Sehrawat and Antim Panghal have withdrawn from the World Wrestling Championships in Astana, Kazakhstan. Sujeet Kalkal, an Asian Games gold medallist, will lead the Indian contingent. The article also details the full Indian squads across men's freestyle, women's freestyle, and Greco-Roman categories, alongside a controversy regarding a selection bout.
Indian para-athletes continued their impressive performance at the Asian Para Games, adding 10 more medals, including three gold, to their tally on the third day of competitions. Ayush Verma, Praveen Kumar, and Sachin Khilari secured gold medals in their respective events, contributing to India's growing success.
Ravi Baby Sahana and Prachi Pandey created history by becoming India's first para table tennis players to secure medals in the standing category at the Asian Para Games. India clinched a total of four bronze medals in the event, surpassing its previous medal tally. Paralympics medallists Bhavina Patel and Sonalben Patel also contributed to the country's success.
The Indian women's hockey team defeated defending champions China 1-0 to win their first Asian Games gold medal in 44 years, securing a direct berth for the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics. Lalremsiami scored the winning goal, and goalkeeper Savita Punia made crucial saves.
Nitesh Siwach stormed into the Asian Games 97kg Greco-Roman final with a 9-0 win, moving one victory away from India's first gold in the style since 1962.
Indian golfer Pranavi Urs, who won a gold medal at the Asian Games, was presented with a cheque of Rs one crore by MP Anurag Thakur on behalf of the Indian Golf Premier League (IGPL) in recognition of her achievement.
Lovlina Borgohain and Sakshi Chaudhary secured their spots for the Commonwealth Games and Asian Games after winning their respective selection trials.
India's para-athletes concluded their Asian Para Games campaign with an unprecedented 114 medals, including 30 gold, marking their best performance to date. The final day was particularly successful, yielding nine gold medals across various disciplines. Notable achievements included world records set by Mona Agarwal in shooting, and Sandeep and Haney in athletics. Shuttlers Nitesh Kumar and Naveen Sivakumar secured individual golds, while archer Harvinder Singh also contributed to the gold tally. The swimming contingent also exceeded expectations with 11 medals.
Vinesh Phogat's return to competitive wrestling ended in disappointment as she lost in the Asian Games selection trials, highlighting the challenges she faces in her comeback journey after the Paris Olympics trauma.
Indian archers Harvinder Singh and Vijay Sundi secured a gold medal in the para recurve men's doubles event at the Asian Para Games, defeating China 5-1 in the final. Meanwhile, the Indian women's para recurve doubles team of Bhawna Choudhary and Pooja Jatyan earned a silver medal after losing to China.
Indian para table tennis players Bhavina Patel, Prachi, and Sonalben have advanced to the semifinals of the Asian Para Games in Nagoya, guaranteeing at least three bronze medals for the country. Bhavina Patel won her Class 4-5 quarterfinal, Prachi secured a historic medal in Class 6, and Sonalben triumphed in Class 3, showcasing India's strong performance in the sport.
Four senior Indian hockey players, including Mandeep Singh and Amit Rohidas, have expressed surprise and disappointment over reports that they are set to retire after the upcoming Asian Champions Trophy. The players, who recently won gold at the Asian Games, stated they were not consulted and are keen to continue playing, with eyes on the 2028 Olympics.
Shooter Rudrankksh Patil, a world champion and Asian Games gold medallist, shares his extraordinary journey, from finding shooting boring to achieving global success, while also shedding light on China's formidable and secretive dominance in the sport.
The women's hockey final at the Asian Games between India and China was delayed by 45 minutes due to a traffic snarl. India is competing for a historic gold medal, which would also secure direct qualification for the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics, aiming to end a 44-year wait since their last victory in 1982.
India's Sharath Makanahalli secured a bronze medal in the men's 1500m T12 event at the Asian Para Games in Nagoya on Wednesday, achieving a season's best time. This marks his second medal at the Games, following a silver in the previous edition.
The Olympic Council of Asia defended the Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games despite accommodation and transport complaints, saying mega multi-sport events always face challenges.
India's Haney won a bronze medal in the men's discus throw F37 event at the Asian Para Games in Nagoya, achieving a personal best of 57.04 metres in his final attempt. Uzbekistan's Marufkhujaev Kudratillokhon took gold, and Pakistan's Haider Ali secured silver.
Indian athletes achieved a clean sweep in the men's discus throw F44/64 event at the Asian Para Games in Nagoya. Devender Kumar secured the gold medal, with Rakesh and Pardeep Kumar winning silver and bronze respectively. The event featured athletes with lower limb impairments, classified as F44 (without prosthesis) and F64 (with prosthesis).
