Indian boxer Parveen advanced to the women's 65kg quarterfinals at the Asian Games via a walkover, while Sakshi Chaudhary (51kg) and Sumit (70kg) were eliminated. Sakshi lost her pre-quarterfinal bout to Kazakhstan's Alua Balkibekova, and Sumit conceded his pre-quarterfinal due to a knee injury.
The Indian men's hockey team delivered a commanding performance at the Asian Games, defeating Sri Lanka 16-1 in their second Pool A match. Jugraj Singh, Abhishek, and Dilpreet Singh each scored hat-tricks, contributing to India's overwhelming victory.
India's eFootball team, featuring Danial Patel and Chinmay Sahoo, commenced their Asian Games campaign with a walkover against Mongolia and a goalless draw against Uzbekistan in Group F matches, marking a positive start to the competition.
The Indian table tennis team, featuring strong contenders like the men's doubles pair of Manush Shah and Manav Thakkar, has commenced its Asian Games campaign in Nagoya with aspirations of securing at least one medal. Both men's and women's teams are in Group F, facing Indonesia and other opponents. The team, a mix of experienced players and rising stars like Syndrela Das, is confident after acclimatising to the conditions.
The 20th Asian Games have officially commenced in Nagoya with a high-tech opening ceremony. India's 501-member contingent is led by flag bearers Manu Bhaker and Pawan Sehrawat, with some events already underway, including India's women's cricket team reaching the semifinals and a teqball bronze medal opportunity.
The 20th Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games, running from September 19 to October 4, will feature approximately 17,000 athletes from 45 countries competing in 469 medal events across 43 sports. Japan hosts for the third time, introducing new sports like mixed martial arts and virtual taekwondo, while also serving as a qualifier for the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics.
India's Jay Meena has advanced to the quarterfinals of the soft tennis event at the Asian Games after defeating Pakistan's Arain Hussain. Other Indian players, Aryan Thakur and Aadhya Tiwari, also saw mixed results in their respective matches.
Indian teen archer Kumkum Mohod, 17, made history at the Asian Games by becoming the first Indian woman to win an individual recurve gold, alongside a team gold and mixed silver.
Indian boxer Sakshi Chaudhary lost her pre-quarterfinal bout in the women's 51kg category at the Asian Games to Kazakhstan's Alua Balkibekova. Separately, Sumit was forced to concede his men's 70kg pre-quarterfinal due to a knee injury, despite leading.
Sri Lankan javelin thrower Rumesh Tharanga Pathirage secured the Asian Games gold medal, expressing regret over Neeraj Chopra's absence due to injury.
Indian long-distance runner Gulveer Singh has secured a silver medal in the men's 10,000m event at the Asian Games, clocking 28:29.38 minutes. This achievement marks an upgrade from his previous bronze medal at the Asian Games and adds to his successful year, which also includes a second-place finish at the Commonwealth Games.
India's top men's doubles pair, Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty, faced a surprising early exit from the Asian Games badminton competition after losing to Thailand's Pakkapon Teeraratsakul and Peeratchai Sukphun.
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.
Indian shooters Neeru Dhanda and Kynan Chenai won the Asian Games trap mixed team gold, setting a new continental record. This victory marks a significant achievement for India's shooting campaign, with Dhanda also securing an individual gold earlier. The pair's success contributes to India's growing medal tally in shooting at the Games.
India's last-minute change in the 10m air pistol mixed team pairing ended with gold as Suruchi Singh and Kamaljeet won the title on Friday.
Indian badminton players Unnati Hooda and the mixed doubles pair of Tanisha Crasto and Dhruv Kapila secured comfortable first-round victories at the Asian Games. This positive start follows mixed results in the team events, where the men's team won bronze and the women's team did not medal.
India added significantly to its Asian Games medal tally with strong performances across athletics, squash, and boxing. Ancy Sojan and Sarvesh Kushare secured silver medals in long jump and high jump respectively, while Parul Chaudhary and Harita Bhadra earned bronzes. Despite high hopes, Indian squash players missed out on Olympic berths, settling for silvers. Boxing saw three athletes advance to semifinals, assuring more medals, though individual badminton campaigns concluded without a medal.
Indian golfer Pranavi Urs made history by becoming the first Indian woman to win an Asian Games gold medal in golf.
Indian Olympic Association president PT Usha announced the institution of two new memorial awards: the Raja Randhir Singh Trophy for the best male athlete and the Jaspal Rana Trophy for the best female athlete at the Asian Games. These awards honour the significant contributions of the late sports administrator Raja Randhir Singh and renowned pistol coach Jaspal Rana to Indian sports. Usha also addressed accommodation concerns for Indian athletes at the upcoming Asian Games in Aichi-Nagoya, Japan.
Double Olympic medallist Manu Bhaker has qualified for the women's 10m air pistol final at the Asian Games, finishing third in the qualification round.
Indian swimmer Rohit Benedicton failed to qualify for the men's 100m butterfly event at the Asian Games, finishing 13th overall. Veteran swimmer Sajan Prakash did not participate in the event.
India delivered a commanding performance in the Asian Games women's cricket final, crushing Sri Lanka by 147 runs to retain their gold medal and open their 2026 campaign with India's first gold of the Games.
The Indian men's kabaddi team secured a dominant 63-31 victory over South Korea in a Group A clash at the Asian Games, marking their second consecutive win and placing them atop the group.
The traditional flag hoisting ceremony at the Asian Games in Nagoya was delayed and then abruptly halted due to unspecified "trouble," leaving multiple countries, including India, awaiting clarity. This incident adds to growing criticism against organisers for logistical chaos, including complaints about delayed and cramped container-style lodging facilities provided to athletes to cut costs.
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.
The traditional flag hoisting ceremony for the Asian Games in Nagoya, involving India and other nations, was significantly delayed and disrupted due to unspecified "trouble" and a lack of communication between organisers.
India's assistant coach Hrishikesh Kanitkar emphasised the importance of winning crucial moments ahead of the Asian Games gold medal cricket match against arch-rivals Pakistan. Drawing on his own experience from the 1998 Independence Cup final, Kanitkar stated that while the hype is significant, players must focus on their game and aim for a second successive Asiad gold for the country's medal tally.
India's Manush Shah and Diya Chitale secured a bronze medal in the mixed doubles table tennis event at the Asian Games after a 0-4 loss to China in the semifinals. This marks India's first table tennis medal at the current Games and only the second mixed doubles medal in Asian Games history, following Sharath Kamal and Manika Batra's bronze in Jakarta.
India's men's and women's squash teams have successfully advanced to the semifinals of the Asian Games in Nagoya, securing at least a bronze medal for the nation.
Teenager Kumkum Mohod clinched a historic gold medal in the women's individual recurve event at the Asian Games in Nagoya, defeating South Korea's Oh Yejin in a thrilling shoot-out.
If India's medal tally ultimately falls significantly short of Hangzhou, the conversation should not stop with the athletes or coaches. It should extend to a much more uncomfortable institutional question: After years of increased investment, programmes, infrastructure and policy attention, where exactly is the system failing to convert that investment into medals, champions and depth across sports? asks Jaydeep Ray.
India's six-member League of Legends team, featuring a blend of experienced and new players, is set to compete at the Asian Games 2026 in Aichi-Nagoya, Japan. They are placed in a challenging Group B alongside defending champions South Korea, Chinese Taipei, and Hong Kong, with the tournament running from September 29 to October 2.
India's highly anticipated women's 10m air pistol team, featuring Manu Bhaker, Esha Singh, and Suruchi Inder Singh, failed to secure a medal at the Asian Games, with only Bhaker reaching the individual final and finishing fifth. Despite this setback, India managed to win two bronze medals in the men's and women's skeet events, bringing the total shooting tally to seven. The performance has raised questions about India's shooting selection policies and preparation, especially given the contrast with previous Games. Manu Bhaker also spoke about personal challenges, including the recent death of her coach.
The Asian Games' mixed martial arts competition features modified rules, including traditional uniforms and shin guards, to make the sport more palatable for potential Olympic inclusion. While intense, this version differs significantly from UFC fights. The sport faces challenges, including rival governing bodies vying for Olympic recognition, but FIMMA hopes the current format will appeal to IOC officials.
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. India also won a team silver, contributing to the nation's growing medal tally in the continental competition.
Indian boxer Sachin Siwach has advanced to the men's 60kg quarterfinals at the Asian Games with a 4-1 victory over Mohammad Adnan Abu Jajeh. Meanwhile, last edition's bronze medallist Preeti Pawar was eliminated after a 0-5 loss to North Korea's Pang Chol M in the women's 54kg round of 16. Siwach is now one win away from securing a medal.
Indian wrestler Sujeet Kalkal has advanced to the men's 65kg semifinals at the Asian Games after securing two dominant victories, including a technical superiority win against Iran's Abbas Ebrahimzadehsavadkouhi. Meanwhile, three other Indian wrestlers faced early exits from the competition.
World junior champion Anahat Singh, now 18, is returning to the Asian Games with significantly higher stakes, as the women's singles gold medal offers direct Olympic qualification. Ranked world number 20, she is a strong medal contender and is embracing the pressure of competing for her country. Anahat faces formidable opponents like Satomi Watanbe and Sivasangari Subramaniam but is focused on refining her game and physical strength to achieve her goals.
India's national soft tennis federation is pushing for the sport's inclusion in the 2030 Commonwealth Games in Ahmedabad, following a historic Asian Games medal. Special Advisor Harshang Khodadhara highlighted India's strong global ranking and its position as the leading Commonwealth nation in soft tennis, expressing confidence in winning gold medals if included.
Sawan Barwal ran a stunning marathon race to hand India an unexpected silver medal in the Asian Games -- shattering his own national record in the process in Nagoya on Saturday.
