Indian para swimmer Himanshu Nandal secured his third bronze medal at the Asian Para Games in the men's 100m freestyle S11 event on Friday, completing a hat-trick of podium finishes. Nandal, who is visually impaired, previously won bronze in the 400m freestyle and 100m breaststroke S11 events, and has also qualified for the Paris Paralympics.
Former India goalkeeper PR Sreejesh has publicly criticised Hockey India for removing him from his role as junior men's team coach after just 17 months, questioning the organisation's preference for foreign coaches. Hockey India has rejected Sreejesh's claims, stating that his contract ended as scheduled and a new coach was selected through a formal process.
Former Pakistan captain Salman Akbar attributes his country's hockey decline to the absence of a robust domestic structure, contrasting it with India's strategic investment in grassroots and domestic ecosystems after failing to qualify for the 2008 Olympics. He highlights India's subsequent success and calls for similar foundational changes in Pakistan.
India named South Africa's Craig Fulton as the new chief coach of the men's hockey team, who finished a disappointing ninth in the World Cup at home.
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.
The Sports Ministry has rescheduled its review meeting with National Sports Federations to October 15 to discuss India's performance at the recently concluded Asian Games. The focus will be on the underwhelming show of experienced athletes in sports like badminton, shooting, and athletics, following a lower medal count compared to the previous edition.
Olympic gold medallist Abhinav Bindra congratulated Indian athletes and support teams for their Asian Games campaign, emphasizing the hard work involved. He praised breakthrough achievements while calling for honest analysis of setbacks and stronger long-term high-performance systems, urging urgent preparation for the Los Angeles Olympics.
Indian athletes are set for a busy day at the Asian Games on September 27, competing across a wide array of sports including athletics, archery, shooting, boxing, and squash.
Indian men's hockey coach Harendra Singh wa, on Wednesday, sacked from the position following a disappointing 2018 and offered the task of helming the junior squad by the national federation.
The Sports Ministry conducted a review of India's Asian Games performance, scrutinising the lower-than-expected medal haul in athletics and badminton. Chaired by Sports Minister Mansukh Mandaviya, the meeting addressed issues like injured athletes and future planning for the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics, with a strong emphasis on federations delivering results and nurturing young talent.
World champions India, featuring a strong line-up of T20 stars, are set to face Pakistan in the men's gold-medal cricket clash at the Asian Games, a match where a silver medal would be considered a 'royal embarrassment' for India.
'Harmanpreet & Co have strong foundation for LA gold'
Terry Walsh quit as coach of India's men's hockey team on Tuesday after his demands were not met by Hockey India and the Sports Authority of India. The 60-year-old Australian, who guided India to the men's hockey gold at the Incheon Asian Games, however, said he could return if his demands are met.
Seventeen Indian sportspersons, including World Cup winning chess player Divya Deshmukh, decathlete Tejaswin Shankar, and shuttler Gayatri Gopichand, have been named for the prestigious Arjuna Award for 2025.
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.
Former India goalkeeper PR Sreejesh has publicly criticised Hockey India for allegedly favouring foreign coaches over Indian talent, despite his successful tenure with the junior men's team. Hockey India has rejected the claims.
A comprehensive schedule detailing the events and timings for Indian athletes participating in various sports at the Asian Games, including badminton, boxing, canoeing, equestrian, fencing, hockey, kabaddi, rowing, soft tennis, sepaktakraw, shooting, squash, swimming, table tennis, weightlifting, and wushu.
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.
India continued to add to its medal tally at the Asian Games, primarily through shooting, but a gold medal remained elusive. Suchika Tariyal secured India's first-ever MMA medal, a bronze, despite a heartbreaking weigh-in technicality. Other sports like badminton, hockey, and table tennis saw strong performances, while swimming faced disappointment.
Indian women's hockey coach Sjoerd Marijne acknowledges the tight schedule between the World Cup and Asian Games but expresses confidence in the team's ability to manage the physical demands. Former captain MM Somaya also highlighted the importance of the World Cup as preparation for the Asian Games, where a gold medal secures a spot in the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics.
India's hockey team skipper Harmanpreet Singh and veteran goalkeeper PR Sreejesh expressed disappointment at not being able to realise their goal of winning the gold medal at the Paris Olympics, but said a bronze will be at least better than returning home empty-handed.
India experienced a day of mixed fortunes at the Asian Games, highlighted by Mirabai Chanu's historic silver medal in weightlifting, ending a long wait for an Asiad medal. The nation also secured several bronze medals in skeet shooting, men's badminton, and soft tennis. While Chanu shone, the shooting contingent faced challenges, and other sports like wushu, table tennis, squash, women's hockey, and kabaddi saw Indian athletes advance or dominate their events.
A comprehensive schedule outlines the participation of Indian athletes across various disciplines at the Asian Games on September 23, including key events in badminton, boxing, shooting, hockey, and weightlifting, with several athletes vying for qualification and medal rounds.
Manpreet Singh on Wednesday became India's most-capped hockey player with his 413th appearance for the country during the FIH Pro League match against Germany in Rotterdam.
Indian men's hockey team beat Great Britain 4-2 in shoot-out to enter the semi-finals and remain on course to win its second consecutive Olympic medal.
P. R. Sreejesh has voiced his frustration after his contract as head coach of the India U-21 hockey team was not renewed, alleging Hockey India prefers foreign coaches despite his successful tenure.
Baldev Singh, a hockey coach who transformed Shahabad Markanda into a hub for hockey talent, will be awarded the Padma Shri by President Droupadi Murmu on May 25.
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.
Hardik Singh and Navneet Kaur were named Hockey India Player of the Year in the men's and women's categories, respectively, at a ceremony in New Delhi. Several other players, officials, and member units were also recognised for their contributions to Indian hockey.
Former India goalkeeper PR Sreejesh has publicly criticised Hockey India's decision to remove him as junior men's team coach after a successful 17-month tenure, questioning the organisation's preference for foreign coaches.
India's other gold medals came in 1966 and 1998, both times in Bangkok.
Former India hockey goalkeeper PR Sreejesh has advised the current national team to manage World Cup pressure by trusting their preparation and enjoying the occasion. He expressed optimism about India's chances, aiming for a top-four finish in the upcoming FIH World Cup.
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 most-capped hockey player Manpreet Singh idolises Virat Kohli and credits his longevity to fitness, saying he has drawn inspiration from the star cricketer's fitness regime.
The Indian men's hockey team is undergoing a philosophy shift, moving away from the traditional attacking style of play with new head coach Craig Fulton emphasising on having a sound defense.
Former India hockey star Pritam Siwach will watch son Yashdeep make his World Cup debut in the Netherlands, 28 years after her own World Cup appearance.
Former India goalkeeper PR Sreejesh has publicly criticised Hockey India for allegedly favouring foreign coaches over Indian coaches, despite his successful tenure with the junior men's team. Hockey India has rejected Sreejesh's claims.
Former India goalkeeper PR Sreejesh has criticised Hockey India's decision to replace him as U-21 coach with a foreign appointment, despite his successful tenure.
Punjab routed Maharashtra 3-1 in the men's final while Haryana whipped Jharkhand 4-0 in the women's at the National Games hockey tournament.
Motivated India eye German scalp to script another historic chapter in Olympic men's hockey
