Asian Games

Asian Games debut marks new chapter for rapidly growing virtual taekwondo

When Vietnamese athlete Nguyen Thanh Hien Linh stepped into her first virtual taekwondo competition in Singapore in 2024, she had little idea what she was doing. "I was just kicking into the air," recalled the 21-year-old. Despite her background as an elite national taekwondo champion, she struggled in the virtual arena with no clue on strategy, skills or how the technology worked. Two years later, she won a gold medal at a recent virtual taekwondo competition in Malaysia and was part of a growing community of the gamified combat sport across Southeast Asia. Once unfamiliar and experimental, virtual taekwondo is now emerging as a structured competitive discipline. Co-developed by World Taekwondo and Singapore-based technology company Refract Technologies, it combines virtual reality technology with traditional taekwondo techniques to woo tech-savvy young athletes. Competitors wear VR headsets that transport them into a digital 3D arena, and strap motion-tracking sensors on their ..

Tanvi Khanna backs complete home ecosystem for India's squash rise

Squash ace Tanvi Khanna believes that establishing the complete ecosystem of the sport within the country is essential for the skill expansion and global success of next generation players. The world No. 74 Tanvi, who is in the Indian squad for the Asian Games to be held in Aichi-Nagoya, Japan, in September-October, says India must imbibe lessons from top nations that have consistently produced champions. "I do believe we can learn from other nations that have a history of producing champions, but the idea is to learn and bring back the same skills to fellow Indians, so, it's more sustainable and long term," Tanvi, who won the Squash PSA Challenger Tour here, told PTI in an exclusive interview. "I strongly believe if we want the future generation to win medals for India, the entire ecosystem of coaches and players has to be in India. "This is the only way to inspire the future generations (and) this is what countries like Egypt have, and India is currently lacking," she said. Tan

India retain Harmanpreet as Asiad captain despite poor World Cup outing

Harmanpreet Kaur was on Tuesday retained as India captain for this year's Asian Games in Japan despite the team's earlier than expected exit from the ICC Women's T20 World Cup in England. The Women's Selection Committee named a 15-member squad for the Asian Games, scheduled to be held in Aichi-Nagoya, Japan from September 19 to October 4. The team's World Cup campaign ended on Sunday after a group stage loss to Australia. The Indian women's team will enter the Asian Games as defending champions, having won the gold medal at the event's previous edition in Hangzhou, China in 2023. Smriti Mandhana will continue to be Harmanpreet's deputy. Wicketkeeper-batter Yastika Bhatia is the only player to be dropped from the World Cup squad and in her place, G Kamalini has been drafted into the side. Shreyanka Patil, who was ruled out with an ankle injury in the middle of the World Cup, has been included in the squad but her availability will be subject to fitness clearance. Harmanpreet will

Who is Ancy Sojan? Kerala jumper who broke Anju Bobby's 22-year-old record

Besides rewriting the record books, the jump also secured Ancy the Athletics Federation of India's qualification mark for the 2026 Asian Games

'Hungrier' Yuvraj Sandhu eyes 'Major' glory, cherishes Asian Games dream

India's top-ranked golfer Yuvraj Sandhu says he is "hungrier than ever" and has set himself an ambitious target of winning a major championship within the next two to three years. Sandhu clinched an unprecedented seven titles last year during a record-breaking domestic season, topping the Professional Golf Tour of India (PGTI) Order of Merit to earn a full-season card on the prestigious DP World Tour. "I'm just a little hungrier than ever before. Now that I've tasted the European tour, I feel like this is exactly where professional golf is... it's literally where you want to be. So I see myself playing a lot of majors next year, contending as well. And ideally, it would be -- winning a major next year," Yuvraj told PTI. "So I'm just going to stick to the process, work hard and let's see if I can win a major next year. That'll be golden. But I definitely see myself winning a major in the coming two or three years. "I definitely see that because I know that, to begin with, I have the

AFI to consider Tejaswin for Asiad despite missing Inter-State competition

National record holder decathlete Tejaswin Shankar will be considered for this year's Asian Games despite not competing in the National Inter-State Senior Championships which begins here on Wednesday as he has been granted exemption from the meet, a top official of the national federation said on Tuesday. Tejaswin, who rewrote his own national record during the Federation Cup in Ranchi last month, has been named in the 32-member Indian team for the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow (July 23 to August 2). He has sought exemption from the National Inter-State Senior Championships and the Athletics Federation of India (AFI) granted him exemption. "Yes, he has sought exemption from the National Inter-State in writing and we have granted it. He will be considered for the Asian Games," AFI Planning Commission chairman Lait Bhanot told PTI ahead of the championships here. "The gruelling 10-event decathlon is such an event which an athlete cannot compete twice within one month. You need a long

Doha Dimaond League: Neeraj Chopra eyes fresh start after injury-hit season

Returning to competition after a nine-month absence caused by a back injury, India's Olympic champion says he is fit and ready for a demanding year featuring the Commonwealth Games and Asian Games

Dhiraj's road to archery World Cup double gold built on family sacrifice

Two years ago, Dhiraj Bommadevara walked away from Paris heartbroken after narrowly missing what would have been India's first Olympic archery medal. Leading 2-0 in the recurve mixed team semifinal alongside Ankita Bhakat, Dhiraj watched the match slip away against South Korea's Kim Woojin and Lim Sihyeon. But in Antalya on Sunday, Dhiraj stood atop the podium twice after scripting one of the finest days in Indian archery. The 24-year-old defeated arch-nemesis South Korea twice en route to a historic double gold haul at the Archery World Cup Stage 3 -- first in the recurve mixed team event alongside 17-year-old Kumkum Mohod and then individually against Paris Olympics bronze medallist Lee Woo Seok. Never before had the country won two gold medals at a World Cup stage, overcoming South Korea. The journey ========= For Dhiraj, however, this triumph was about something far more personal. It was the reward for his father's unusual decision to become an archery judge to support him

India stun Olympic champions Korea twice for historic World Cup double

A fearless new generation of Indian recurve archers announced its arrival in style on Sunday as India defeated archery powerhouse South Korea twice in a single day to secure a historic double gold haul at the Archery World Cup Stage 3 here. Paris Olympian Dhiraj Bommadevara emerged the star of the campaign, first combining with 17-year-old Kumkum Mohod to stun the Olympic champions in the recurve mixed team final before overcoming Paris Olympics bronze medallist Lee Woo Seok to clinch his maiden individual World Cup gold. It was the first time India had won two gold medals at a single World Cup stage by defeating South Korea, long considered their nemesis in recurve archery. The performance helped India finish second in medals tally behind China (three gold, one bronze), while Korea were pushed to fourth spot (1-2-1). Mexico were third. The twin triumphs also underlined India's new-found resurgence in the recurve section, where has now beaten the Koreans twice in successive World .

India's highly decorated shooter and coach Jaspal Rana dies aged 49

Rana, who rose to prominence with Asian Games gold at 18, helped establish India as a global force in shooting both as an athlete and a coach.

BCCI picks full-strength squad for Asian Games 2026, includes Bumrah, Iyer

India's gold medal-winning captain at the Asian Games 2022 will not be part of India's 15-member squad in 2026

New captain to new faces: What to expect from India selection for UK tour

BCCI, along with India's squad for the bilateral series against Ireland and England, will also announce the squad for the Asian Games 2026 later this year

Antim to Aman: Full list of Indian wrestlers qualified for Asian Games 2026

Olympic bronze medallist Aman Sehrawat and former world U20 champion Antim Panghal headlined the selections after winning their respective categories

Satwik-Chirag Singapore Open win boosts India's Asian Games 2026 hopes

Satwik and Chirag's win has not only ended their two-year-long wait for a trophy but also made them the first Indian pair to win the men's doubles event of the tournament

Suryakumar Yadav left out of India's Asian Games 2026 30-man squad: Report

The development suggests that the selectors could be planning a different approach for the continental event while keeping an eye on India's larger international commitments.

Vinesh misses Asian Games spot after crashing out of semifinals in trials

Vinesh began her campaign in the trials with a comfortable 7-1 victory over Jyoti before surviving a stern challenge from Nishu Kumari in the quarterfinals

Vinesh set for Asian Games trials in 53kg category as WFI reverses decision

The decision has set up an intriguing battle in the women's 53kg division, with Vinesh expected to compete against former world championships medallist Antim Panghal

Delhi HC allows Vinesh Phogat to participate in Asian Games 2026 trials

Court directed that Phogat shall be permitted to participate in the selection trials, the entire process shall be video-recorded by WFI, and two independent observers shall oversee the trials

Delhi HC slams WFI over criteria ruling Vinesh Phogat ineligible to compete

Phogat, who is attempting a return after a maternity break, challenged the WFI's decision after being declared ineligible under revised rules linked to retirement and anti-doping regulations

Asian Games 2026: Deepika, Atanu miss out as India announces archery squad

India enjoyed its best-ever archery campaign at the 2023 Asian Games in Hangzhou, where a 16-member contingent returned with nine medals