Indian wrestler Aman Sehrawat won the men's 57kg gold medal at the Asian Games, defeating North Korea's world champion Chong Song Han in the final.
Indian Greco Roman wrestler Sunil Kumar secured a bronze medal in the men's 87kg category at the Asian Games, defeating Roberts Callum Johnston of the Philippines.
Sujeet Kalkal clinched the Asian Games gold medal in the men's 65kg wrestling category, overcoming strong rivals including an Olympic champion. He demonstrated remarkable resilience by coming from behind in the final to secure his first Asian Games title.
Indian Greco Roman wrestler Sunil Kumar made a strong start at the Asian Games, advancing to the men's 87kg semifinals with a dominant technical superiority victory.
Indian wrestling coach Virender Dahiya and wrestler Antim Panghal have expressed strong confidence in the national team's preparation and potential for the upcoming Asian Games 2026 in Aichi-Nagoya, Japan. Dahiya believes the team will significantly improve on its previous medal tally, while Panghal highlights the strong team cohesion and gold medal aspirations. The squad features a mix of experienced and young talent, aiming to overcome strong regional competitors.
Olympic bronze medallist Aman Sehrawat and Antim Panghal have secured their spots in the men's 57kg and women's 53kg finals, respectively, at the Asian Games in Nagoya. Both wrestlers, who previously won bronze at the 2023 Hangzhou Asian Games, are now poised to compete for gold.
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.
Nitesh Siwach, a 23-year-old Greco-Roman wrestler from Haryana, secured a silver medal at the Asian Games in Japan. His journey is remarkable, having worked as a milkman for two years after a knee operation before returning to wrestling. He hopes for Greco-Roman wrestling to be included in the Pro Wrestling League.
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.
Greco Roman wrestler Deepak has failed a dope test, leading to his withdrawal from the Asian Games contingent. This marks the third doping case for Indian wrestling ahead of the continental event, further reducing India's representation. The National Anti-Doping Agency (NADA) found clomifene in his sample, a prohibited substance. The Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) decided to withdraw him to avoid potential penalties from the world governing body.
India achieved a respectable fourth-place finish in the Asian Games medals tally, securing 85 medals including 21 gold, driven by a significant late surge in boxing, archery, wrestling, and hockey, despite initial setbacks in shooting and athletics.
Archer Kumkum Mohod and wrestler Sujeet Kalkal have been named the first recipients of the Jaspal Rana Award and Raja Randhir Singh Award, respectively, by the Indian Olympic Association. These awards recognise their exceptional performances at the Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games, where Mohod secured two archery golds and Kalkal won gold in wrestling.
India overcame early setbacks in shooting and athletics to achieve a strong fourth-place finish at the Asian Games, matching its previous edition's ranking. A late surge in boxing, archery, wrestling, and hockey, alongside historic wins in golf and cricket, contributed significantly to the medal tally, despite a lower overall medal count compared to the 2022 edition.
Greco-Roman wrestler Nitesh has reached the men's 97kg final at the Asian Games, putting him one win away from securing India's first-ever gold medal in this category. He dominated his semifinal match with a technical-superiority victory, marking a significant moment for Indian wrestling.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi congratulated India's Asian Games medallists, praising their outstanding performances and specifically highlighting the women's hockey team's gold medal win after over four decades. India secured a strong position in the medals tally with a six-gold haul on the penultimate day, with Modi acknowledging individual achievements in wrestling, boxing, archery, sepaktakraw, and sailing.
Indian athletes are set for a busy day at the Asian Games on October 2, with events across archery, boxing, canoe slalom, cycling, golf, hockey, rugby sevens, sailing, sepak takraw, taekwondo, volleyball, and wrestling. Key medal events include finals in boxing featuring Lovlina Borgohain and Parveen Hooda, and the women's hockey final against China.
Indian wrestler Deepak Punia secured a bronze medal in the men's 97kg category at the Asian Games, defeating Mongolia's Gankhuyang Ganbataar. This marks his second Asian Games medal, following a silver in 2023, and adds to his impressive international record including a 2019 World Championships silver.
Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath congratulated the Indian women's hockey team for winning the gold medal at the Asian Games 2026, ending a 44-year wait and securing a direct qualification for the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics. He also extended congratulations to other Indian medal winners in boxing, wrestling, and archery, highlighting India's strong performance at the Games.
Indian wrestlers secured a six-medal haul, including two golds, at the Asian Games in Nagoya, overcoming injuries and form slumps. Gold medallists Aman Sehrawat and Sujeet Kalkal, along with silver winners Nitesh Siwach and Antim Panghal, and bronze medallists Deepak Punia and Sunil Kumar, are now setting their sights on the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics, expressing determination to bring home more glory.
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.
India's Asian Games campaign looked bleak in Nagoya. A slow medal start saw the country slip to around 12th, before a late surge took India back to fourth with 85 medals.
India concluded its Asian Games campaign in Nagoya with a creditable fourth place, securing 85 medals, including 21 golds. The final days saw a surge in gold medals, notably from the cricket and hockey teams, and historic individual wins by 17-year-old archer Kumkum Mohod and golfer Pranavi Urs.
Nitesh Siwach secured India's first Greco-Roman wrestling silver medal at the Asian Games since 1962, though he missed out on gold after being defeated by Japan's Yuri Nakazato in the 97kg final. Meanwhile, Mansi Ahlawat lost her bronze medal play-off in the women's 62kg event, and other Indian wrestlers were eliminated in the quarterfinals.
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.
Indian hockey drag-flicker Deepika has made headlines at the Asian Games with a record-breaking 20 goals across three matches, including nine in a single game. The 23-year-old attributes her success not just to her wrestling family's athletic genes but to years of dedicated training and the guidance of coaches Azad Singh, Rupinder Pal Singh, and Taeke Taekema. Despite a career-threatening injury last year, Deepika has made a strong comeback, focusing on skill, consistency, and discipline, with an eye on Olympic qualification.
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.
The Asian Games, a major multi-sport event, has a long history of controversies extending beyond the sporting arena. From diplomatic disputes and selection rows to doping scandals and disputed decisions, these incidents have often highlighted the intersection of politics, national interests, and sports.
Nitesh Siwach has secured India's first silver medal in Greco-Roman wrestling at the Asian Games since 1962, despite missing out on gold in the men's 97kg final against Japan's Yuri Nakazato.
The Olympic Council of Asia has advised national bodies, including India, to limit their contingent sizes for the upcoming Asian Games in Aichi-Nagoya, Japan, due to the host nation's inability to accommodate more than 15,000 participants. This impacts support staff numbers, with India's contingent of 492 athletes requiring strict adherence to the 33% support staff cap. Organisers are implementing innovative accommodation solutions like container huts and a cruise ship.
Ambitious India out to match Hangzhou benchmark in Nagoya.
India achieved its most successful day at the Asian Games, securing 10 gold medals, 21 silver, and 29 bronze, bringing the total to 60 and improving its ranking to seventh. Compound archers swept all team golds, including an Olympic quota, while trap shooters Neeru Dhanda and Kynan Chenai also won mixed gold. Boxing and wrestling added bronze medals, and the women's hockey team reached the final, assuring at least a silver.
India finished fourth with 85 medals at Aichi-Nagoya, down from 106 in Hangzhou, highlighting the challenge of sustaining progress on the road to 2036.
The Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) has implemented a new two-stage trial system for the 2026 Senior World Championships. This policy allows wrestlers participating in the Asian Games to also compete for a spot in the World Championships team through a "final trial," addressing the overlap between the two major events. The first phase of trials is scheduled for September 14-15, with specific provisions for certain weight categories and U23 championships.
The Wrestling Federation of India has appointed three foreign coaches and a High Performance Director to enhance national camps in preparation for the Asian Games and the 2028 Olympics.
India is set to field a strong contingent at the Asian Games 2026 in Aichi-Nagoya, Japan, from September 19 to October 4, with key athletes like PV Sindhu, Mirabai Chanu, and Lovlina Borgohain leading the charge to defend titles in cricket, kabaddi, and men's hockey.
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.
Indian kurash athlete Pincky Balhara secured a bronze medal at the Asian Games, becoming the most successful Indian in the sport at the event. Her achievement came despite suffering a knee injury during the quarterfinal, which was further targeted by her semifinal opponent. Balhara, who trains with boys at her uncle's academy due to the lack of a national federation, expressed disappointment over the injury preventing a higher finish.
This article provides a comprehensive schedule for Indian athletes participating in various disciplines at the Asian Games on October 1, including archery, cricket, hockey, wrestling, and more, detailing their qualification rounds, semi-finals, and potential medal matches.
Indian athletes are set for a busy day at the Asian Games on September 30, with competitions across various disciplines including archery, boxing, cycling, golf, judo, sailing, shooting, squash, tennis, and wrestling. Several medal opportunities and crucial semifinal matches await the contingent.
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.
