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.
Anahat Singh and Abhay Singh clinched silver medals at the Asian Games, showcasing their potential despite falling short of gold against formidable Malaysian opponents and missing direct qualification for the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics.
India finished fourth at the Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games with 85 medals, a significant dip from the previous edition's record haul. While traditional strongholds like shooting and athletics underperformed, breakthroughs in archery, wrestling, golf, boxing, hockey, and cricket showcased a broadening sporting base. The performance serves as a reality check on sustaining progress towards top global rankings and highlights areas for improvement in mental conditioning and preparation.
Sonam Maskar, a silver medallist in the women's 10m air rifle team event, has expressed her ambition to secure a quota place for the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics at the upcoming ISSF World Championship in Doha. She also reflected on her journey, highlighting financial struggles and her father's support. The article also features kabaddi player Raj Rani, who won a gold medal at the Asian Games, sharing her joy and acknowledging her father's role in her success.
Abhishek Verma, India's top compound archer, is determined to return to the national team after missing the Asian Games. He aims for the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics and the 2030 Commonwealth Games in India, despite India securing an Olympic quota in compound archery. Verma also shares insights on India's medal prospects and the importance of mixed team selection.
Defending champions India are set to face arch-rivals Pakistan in a high-stakes men's hockey semifinal at the Asian Games. The winner of the gold medal will secure a direct qualification for the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics.
Indian trap shooter Neeru Dhanda, a Naib Subedar in the Indian Army, won three medals (two gold, one silver) at the 2026 Asian Games, including India's first individual Asian Games gold in women's trap shooting. She dedicated her medals to the Indian Army and its soldiers. Fellow Army Havildar Kamaljeet also secured a gold medal in the 10m air pistol mixed team event and expressed gratitude to the Army, with both athletes now targeting upcoming World Championships and the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics.
Elavenil Valarivan's family celebrated her historic Asian Games silver medals, saying 12 years of dedication, sacrifice and support from coaches and authorities finally brought her long-awaited success.
India's men's hockey team successfully defended their Asian Games gold medal by defeating Malaysia 5-1, securing a direct qualification for the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics.
India commenced its Asian Para Games campaign with a spectacular performance, securing 11 medals, including four gold, across various sports on Monday. Notable victories came from shooter Mona Agarwal, long jumper Nishad Kumar, middle-distance runner Soumya, and javelin thrower Rinku, with archer Sheetal Devi also setting world records. The medal haul places India fourth in the overall standings.
Indian boxers, including Olympic medallist Lovlina Borgohain and Commonwealth Games champions, face challenging draws at the Asian Games.
Indian Olympic Association president P T Usha met the Indian men's cricket team in Nagoya, expressing her pride and wishing them well for their Asian Games campaign.
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.
India's large contingent of 501 athletes is set to compete at the 20th Asian Games in Nagoya, Japan, aiming to showcase the nation's growing sporting depth and its ambition to become a global top-10 sporting power by 2036. Despite initial accommodation challenges, the focus is on building on the momentum from the record 2022 Hangzhou Games, with strong medal hopes in shooting, athletics, cricket, badminton, and hockey.
Sports Minister Mansukh Mandaviya met with Indian men's and women's hockey teams and officials to review their recent World Cup performance. He urged them to move past the disappointment, identify shortcomings, and focus on the upcoming Asian Games to secure qualification for the Los Angeles Olympics. The minister also discussed the future of the Hockey India League.
Indian men's hockey coach Craig Fulton discusses the team's preparations for the Asian Games, aiming to defend their title and secure direct qualification for the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics.
Ace Indian weightlifter Mirabai Chanu is gearing up for an 'Olympic-level' competition at the Asian Games in Aichi-Nagoya, where she expects to face the strongest lifters from China, North Korea, and Thailand, making it her toughest challenge yet.
Asian Games gold medalist wrestler Sujeet Kalkal's father, Dayanand, shared insights into his son's remarkable journey, highlighting his transition from football to wrestling, his academic excellence as a non-medical science topper, and his recent triumph at the Asian Games.
Defending champions India began their Asian Games campaign with a dominant 13-1 victory over Indonesia in their opening Pool A match. Striker Dilpreet Singh led the charge with four goals, supported by braces from Shilanand Lakra and Sukhjeet Singh. India's focus remains on securing the gold medal and a direct qualification for the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics.
Chief coach Sjoerd Marijne indicated that the Indian women's hockey team will likely use the upcoming World Cup as preparation for the more crucial Asian Games, which serves as a direct qualifier for the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics. The team plans to field a consistent core group for both events, scheduled just 20 days apart. Dutch dragflick specialist Taeke Taekema will join the team for both tournaments, and skipper Salima Tete praised Deepika's strong return from injury, highlighting her importance as a dragflicker.
India, Germany, Qatar, Hungary, Turkey, South Africa, and South Korea are in preliminary talks with the International Olympic Committee (IOC) to host the 2036 Summer Olympics, with a shortlist expected by March next year.
Vithya Ramraj broke PT Usha's 42-year-old national record in the 400m hurdles at the Asian Games on Monday, prompting a gracious message from the Indian track legend.
Indian women's hockey team chief coach Sjoerd Marijne shares insights into the team's historic Asian Games gold medal victory, revealing his "eye of a tiger" message that inspired the players.
Indian wrestler Sujeet Kalkal secured a gold medal at the Asian Games, overcoming an Olympic champion and a significant deficit in the final bout. His victory, marked by an extraordinary comeback, has fueled his belief in contending for an Olympic medal in 2028, showcasing his fearless mindset and determination.
The Indian women's hockey team defeated defending champions China 1-0 in the Asian Games final, securing a gold medal and an automatic qualification for the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics. Coach Sjoerd Marijne credited the team's disciplined defence, tireless running, and collective effort for the historic victory.
Indian squash players Joshna Chinappa, Velavan Senthilkumar, Anahat Singh, and Abhay Singh have secured at least three medals at the Asian Games by advancing to the semifinals in mixed doubles and singles events. Joshna Chinappa, playing in her record seventh Asian Games, and Senthilkumar dominated their mixed doubles quarterfinal. Anahat Singh and Abhay Singh also delivered strong performances in their respective singles quarterfinals, with Anahat aiming for an Olympic berth.
Indian athlete Vithya Ramraj expressed immense happiness after winning the bronze medal at the Asian Games 2026 and breaking legendary PT Usha's national record, clocking a personal best of 54.75 seconds.
Former Australia captain Ricky Ponting expressed his belief that the growth of cricket in the United States has been slower than anticipated, but he remains optimistic about its potential, especially with the US national team's increasing competitiveness and the sport's inclusion in the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics.
India has announced its 20-member women's hockey squad for the upcoming Asian Games in Aichi-Nagoya, Japan. Led by Salima Tete, the team aims to secure a gold medal, which would qualify them for the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics. The squad features a mix of experienced players and promising juniors, with minor changes from the recent FIH Nations Cup-winning team.
The Indian hockey teams are reverting to their traditional blue jerseys for the upcoming Asian Games after facing significant criticism for a previous shift to saffron. This decision follows internal discord within Hockey India, with its president, Dilip Tirkey, stating the saffron kit change was not permanent and lacked proper federation approval. The Asian Games are crucial for Olympic qualification.
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.
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.
Indian table tennis mixed doubles pair Diya Chitale and Manush Shah secured a coveted Asian Games medal, overcoming a recent slump in form and the personal tragedy of Diya's coach Peter Engel's death. Their triumph is seen as a fitting tribute to Engel and fuels India's hopes for an Olympic medal in the future.
The Olympic Council of Asia (OCA) has implemented a stringent Safeguarding Code of Conduct for athletes and officials participating in the Asian Games in Aichi-Nagoya, Japan. The code prohibits inappropriate relationships, degrading language, and harassment, with violations leading to severe penalties including suspension. It also addresses social media use and places special emphasis on protecting minor athletes.
India has announced its 20-member women's hockey squad, led by Salima Tete, for the upcoming Asian Games in Japan. The team aims to secure a gold medal to qualify for the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics, with minor changes to the strike force from the FIH Nations Cup winning side.
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.
Cricket's Twenty20 format is tailor-made for Olympics but the sport's administrators will consider any format which would ensure the game's inclusion in the 2028 Los Angeles Games, USA Cricket chief Paraag Marathe said.
India trap coach Peter Wilson explains his wild medal pledges after Neeru Dhanda's Asian Games gold, recalling his bald-headed celebration in 2025.
Former Commonwealth Games gold medallist Akhil Kumar believes India's women pugilists are a stronger bet for an Olympic medal than their male counterparts and should be prioritised in the overall planning for the 2028 Los Angeles Games, following their record-shattering Commonwealth Games performance.
Following the Indian men's hockey team's historic Asian Games gold and direct qualification for the Los Angeles 2028 Olympics, Head Coach Craig Fulton revealed plans to 'build a new team afresh' after the Hockey India League, emphasising the need for meticulous planning for the upcoming Games.
