Page 13 - Latest Updates on Asian Games 2026

India's Asiad 2026 campaign suffers another doping blow; cases rise to 12

Wushu player Bhanupratap has tested positive for Enobosarm (Ostarine), a selective androgen receptor modulator (SARM) associated with muscle and bone development

Asian Games 2026: Indian athletes begin 'Smart Track' training in Bengaluru

With the Asian Games just around the corner, steeplechaser Avinash Sable, long-distance runner Parul Chaudhary and six other Indian track and field athletes are fine-tuning their preparations on a specialised 'smart track' at the SAI NCOE in Bengaluru. The eight are part of a national camp, scheduled to continue until September 8, which has been sanctioned by the Target Olympic Podium Scheme (TOPS). It also features 800m runner Krishan Kumar, decathlete Thowfeeq N, high jumpers Aadarsh Ram and Supriya B and race walkers Manju Rani and Priyanka. The Asian Games, scheduled in Aichi-Nagoya, Japan from September 19 to October 4. A smart track allows coaches to capture real-time performance data during training. "This is one of its kind in India," said Suresh Kumar, Coach (Athletics) at SAI NCOE Bengaluru. "So what happens is when the athlete runs, we get the real-time speed data. We get the split timings, wherever the gates are placed, then the total timing we get, as well as the str

Iran women's kabaddi team turns to India as war disrupts Asiad preparations

The Sonepat camp offered Iran something it needs most with the Asian Games approaching: regular competition against different opponents

Cricket at Asian Games 2026: All that's happening in Aichi-Nagoya

Even before a ball has been bowled, the tournament has been caught up in a debate over hotel rooms, dressing rooms, toilets and the playing surface

Wrestling to athletics: Doping cases cloud India's Asian Games preparations

Athlete Abhishek Pal has been the latest addition to India's growing list of doping cases ahead of the Asian Games 2026

A career interrupted: Neeraj Chopra's battle with injuries continues

The injury means Neeraj Chopra will be unable to defend his two-time Asian Games gold medal in the javelin throw event at the 2026 Asian Games in Aichi-Nagoya

Here's why Bopanna slammed India's Asian Games 2026 tennis team selection

Five players, i.e., Manas Dhamne, Vaishnavi Adkar, Sahaja Yamalapalli, Prarthana Thombare and Vaidehee Chaudhari, were affected after the selection process was revised

Asian Games 2026: Ministry approves 492 athletes, 73 from athletics alone

The Sports Ministry on Saturday approved a 492-strong contingent of athletes for the Asian Games beginning next month in Japan, with athletics forming the biggest chunk of 73 names in the list. The contingent comprises 265 male and 227 women athletes. The Ministry has, however, not yet issued the list of support staff that would accompany the contingent. The athletics group features 35 men and 38 women and is headlined by two-time Olympic medal-winning javelin throw superstar Neeraj Chopra, long jumper Murali Sreeshankar, long distance runner Gulveer Singh, decathlete Tejaswin Shankar and 100m hurdler Jyothi Yarraji, among others. The 20-strong badminton team also comprises established names such as P V Sindhu, Ayush Shetty and Laskshya Sen. The women's doubles pair of Gayatri Gopichand and Treesa Jolly, along with Satwik Sairaj Renkireddy and Chirag Shetty are there in the squad too. The boxing group has 11 names, including the recent Commonwealth Games silver-winners Lovlin ...

Indian athletics team to hold camp in Japan ahead of Asian Games 2026

The Indian athletics team will undergo a short acclimatisation camp at the University of Tsukuba near Tokyo ahead of the Asian Games in Aichi-Nagoya in Japan in September-October. In June this year, the Sports Authority of India signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the University of Tsukuba to facilitate participation of Indian athletes, coaches, and sports scientists in specialised training and exchange programmes in Japan. Tsukuba is around 80kms from Tokyo and 420km from Nagoya where the track and field events will be held from September 23 to 29. The national team will leave for Japan after competing in the invitational Indian Athletics Final Series in New Delhi on September 10. "The team will leave for Japan either on September 12 or 13 and will train at the University of Tsukuba to acclimatise to the conditions," a top Athletics Federation of India (AFI) official told PTI. Meanwhile, the Asian Games-bound Indian athletes, who were training at Jablonec in Czech ...

Kamaljeet's second sporting life: From injury setback to Asian Games glory

Kamaljeet is preparing for the biggest opportunity of his young career, representing India at the 20th Asian Games in Aichi-Nagoya, Japan.

Asian Games 2026 Men's Hockey full schedule, format, live streaming

India, the highest-ranked team in the 12-team competition, have been kept apart from arch-rivals Pakistan, who have been placed in Pool B alongside Malaysia, China, Oman, Uzbekistan and Thailand.

In international medal hunt, Indian athletics scores on easier picks

Country does well in Commonwealth and Asian games but must aim higher

Asian Games 2026, men's cricket: India full schedule and live match timings

The men's cricket competition will once again be played in the T20 format and staged at the Korogi Athletic Park in Aichi Prefecture, Japan.

Mirabai Chanu sets sights on Asian Games medal amid rising expectations

Olympic silver medallist and three-time consecutive CWG gold medallist Mirabai Chanu acknowledged the pressure of high expectations, saying her next target is an elusive Asian Games medal. Chanu began her ascent at the 2014 Glasgow CWG with a silver medal before winning three consecutive golds in her weight category in Gold Coast in 2018, Birmingham in 2022 and Glasgow again in 2026. She also won the World Championships gold in 2017 and silver medals in 2022 and 2025, besides medals at the Asian and Commonwealth Championships. "Winning a medal makes you very happy, but it is also very difficult. You have more responsibilities and have to give your best in upcoming competitions. There is a lot of pressure. An Asian Games medal will be very important for me. "I will try my best because I have to win where I have never won a medal before. So, the Asian Games is very important for me. Yes, I am aiming for an Asian Games medal next, for which there is pressure," Chanu told PTI in an ...

No sweets till LA, vows Savita as India women chase World Cup, Asiad medals

No sweets, no chocolates, or fast food until the Los Angeles Olympics -- this is the self-imposed diet pledge taken by the Indian women's hockey team as they sharpen their focus on securing podium finishes at the FIH World Cup and the Asian Games, says the legendary goalkeeper Savita Punia. The Indian team, which scripted history with a fourth-place finish at the Tokyo Olympics, continues to follow their strict fitness regime introduced by the strength and conditioning coach Wayne Lombard, who is back with the team as scientific advisor and head of athletic performance during the Olympic cycle. "Wayne is as good a trainer as he is strict. He has set very high standards for fitness and always says that if you want to achieve something, you must be willing to sacrifice," Savita told PTI in an interview. She recalled the first decision was to eliminate sugar and junk food from the team's diet before the Tokyo Olympics, and the change in the team's fitness levels is evident. "The first

Asian Games: India, Pakistan get direct quarterfinal entry in cricket draw

Defending champions India and Pakistan have been given direct entry into quarterfinals of both the men's and women's cricket competition of this year's Asian Games. The Indian women's team will open its campaign against Japan, while the men's opponents will be decided after the preliminary stage. The women will be up against either Bangladesh or China in the semifinals. The men's cricket competition will start on September 24 and conclude on October 1. The men's team might face Pakistan in the semifinals. The women's event will be held from September 17 to 22. The potential of a clash with Pakistan is not ruled out in the women's final. The men's competition features 10 teams. The preliminary stage will feature Afghanistan, Japan, and Nepal in Group A and Hong Kong China, Malaysia and Oman in Group B. Both competitions will be played in the T20 format at the Korogi Athletic Park in Aichi prefecture. Shreyas Iyer will captain the Indian men's team, while Harmanpreet Kaur will capt

Here's why India got direct entry to Asian Games cricket knockout stage

Defending champions India receive quarterfinal byes in the men's event, while the women's tournament starts directly from the last eight

CWG poses bigger medal challenge than Asian Games, says Vishal Thennarasu

India's top 400m runners believe the upcoming Commonwealth Games in Glasgow will offer sterner competition than the Asian Games later this year, making it an ideal proving ground ahead of the continental showpiece. The scaled-down Commonwealth Games begins on July 23, nearly two months before the Asian Games, and India will field a 32-member athletics squad. Vishal Thennarasu Kayalvizhi, who will be competing in the men's 400m and mixed 4x400m relay at the CWG, said the quality of competition in Glasgow, particularly with athletes from Australia and England in the fray, would push Indian runners to raise their standards. "Commonwealth Games is hard, it's tough if we don't work. I won't say it's impossible, I will say it is possible (to win a medal) if we work out well. Nothing is easy, whether it is Asian Games or Commonwealth Games since these are big competitions. "It is an ocean out there and I need a chance to prove myself so I will take it as an opportunity and then try to pus

Sathiyan backs India for best-ever table tennis performance at Asiad 2026

Indian table tennis team has a fine mix of youth and experience and is confident of delivering its best performance yet in the Asian Games to be held in September-October, says G Sathiyan, the senior-most member of the side. With Sharath Kamal retiring from the sport last year, the 33-year-old Sathiyan will have the responsibility of leading a side that has youngsters like Payas Jain and Syndrela Das. "For almost a decade I have played with him (Sharath Kamal) in the team and we have learnt a lot. The best part about him is he never lets the age gap come between us and that is what I have learnt," Sathiyan told PTI on the sidelines of Ultimate Table Tennis. "It is really important to connect with the youngsters as well. Share your ideas but listen to them. Give them that space of what they really want to do. Let them do their own style. "Pressure is a privilege. Yes, there is pressure on being a senior member and handling the youngsters, a mix of them. But this is what we have been

JSW announced as India's performance, lifestyle partner for 2026 CWG, Asiad

The official Team India merchandise for the CWG and Asian Games 2026 will be available through the JSW Inspire website from July 15, while sales on Myntra and Ajio will begin on July 23