Page 28 - Latest Updates on Asian Games 2026

Patnaik announces Rs 10 lakh cash support for Asian Game qualified athletes

Ahead of the Hangzhou Asian Games in China, Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik on Wednesday announced a financial support for the state's athletes who are set to participate in the upcoming sports event. Each Asian Games-bound athlete will receive Rs 10 lakh each, to support their training, preparation, and participation in the prestigious sporting event, an official release issued by the chief minister's office said. The Asian Games, known for bringing together elite athletes from across the continent, offer a platform to showcase the dedication and talent of athletes. The Hangzhou 2022 Asian Games in China, to be held from September 23 to October 8, this year. Thirteen athletes from Odisha will participate in the Asian Games. They include Kishore Jena in athletics; Anshika Bharati, Ritu Kaudi and Sonali Swain in rowing; Anupama Swain in Ju-Jitsu; Neha Devi Leichondam in Kayaking and Canoeing; Pyari Xaxa in football; Deep Grace Ekka and Amit Rohidas in hockey and Dumuni Marndi,

Borgohain among 3 players addedd by AFI to Indian team for Hangzhou 2023

Haryana's 3000m steeplechaser Priti Lamba was on Monday added to the Indian athletics team for the Hangzhou Asian Games along with top sprinter Amlan Borgohain and quartermiler Prachi, after the conclusion of the Indian Grand Prix 5 here. The 27-year-old Lamba won the 3000m steeplechase on the final day of the IGP 5. She breached the Asian Games qualifying time of 9 minute 47 seconds set by the Athletics Federation of India (AFI), by clocking 9:45.13 in a two-woman field. She had finished second at the National Inter-State Championships behind Parul Chaudhary with a time of 9:52.89, and improved it to 9:48.50 while finishing fourth at the Asian Championships in July. Uttar Pradesh's Prachi got the approval of AFI selection committee to compete in the women's 4x400m relay, while Borgohain will compete in the men's 200m. The sports ministry has already announced a 65-member athletics team for the Asian Games last month. Monday's inclusion of three athletes will make it a 68-member ...

Vithya Ramraj misses PT Usha's record in 400mh by 1/100th of a second

Tamil Nadu's Asian Games-bound R Vithya Ramraj came agonisingly close to breaking the legendary PT Usha's 39-year-old women's 400m hurdles record as she clocked 55.43 seconds during the Indian Grand Prix 5 here on Monday. The 24-year-old Vithya's time was just one hundredth of a second less than Usha's 55.42 which she had clocked while finishing fourth in the 1984 Los Angeles Olympics. It's the second longest standing national record. Usha is currently serving as the president of Indian Olympic Association (IOA).

Shouldn't expect much from PV Sindhu at Asian Games warns Vimal Kumar

Repeated failures in tournaments this season has dented P V Sindhu's confidence and not much should be expected from the ace Indian shuttler at the Asian Games, says former India coach Vimal Kumar. The double Olympic medallist has found the going tough ever since returning from a five-month long lay-off following an ankle injury en-route to the Commonwealth Games gold last August. Desperate to arrest the slide, the 28-year-old sought help of legendary Prakash Padukone and trained under him at his Academy PPBA in Bengaluru last week. "We have been sitting and observing her sessions. Prakash spoke to her and tried to motivate her. We have also interacted with her coach (Muhammad Hafiz Hashim)," Vimal, who is the director of the PPBA, told PTI. "She is at the moment low on confidence and she has some work to do. We shouldn't expect much from her at the Asian Games," he added. The 2019 world champion has lost seven times in the first round of BWF tour events this year. A semifinal fi

AFI looking to add 15 more athletes to its already announced 65-member team

Athletics Federation of India (AFI) is hoping to add 15 more track and field athletes to the 65 already named for the Hangzhou Asian Games if they achieve the qualification criteria during the two-day Indian Grand Prix beginning here on Sunday. Around half of the athletes named in the Asian Games-bound team have made their entries in the event, though some top athletes and those training abroad will not be seen in action. "The Indian contingent will be bigger and stronger this time. We have shortlisted 65 athletes and there are chances to add another 15 athletes depending whether they achieve the qualification criteria set by the AFI during the two-day IGP," Sumariwalla said here. Those who have made it to the Asian Games and also entered their names here include javelin thrower Kishore Kumar Jena, shot putter Sahib Singh, Jinson Johnson (1500m), Mohammed Afsal (800m), Yashas Palaksha (400m hurdles), Jesse Sandesh (high jump), quarter-milers Arokia Rajiv, Rajesh Ramesh, Nihal Joel .

Indian hockey team doesn't want to leave China with regrets: Abhishek

Rising Indian hockey forward Abhishek, who is set for his first major Asian tournament in the upcoming Hangzhou Games, says his aim is to play with confidence and leave China without "any regrets". The 24-year-old has come up the hard way and made a delayed breakthrough in his career but he has cemented his place in the Indian side with some stellar performances -- 18 goals in 48 appearances. "I am ecstatic to have been named to the squad, and I am eager to give my all on the pitch. The 19th Asian Games Hangzhou 2022 is a big tournament, and we're preparing accordingly," he said in a Hockey India release. "We'll play with confidence, and our goal is to leave China with no regrets at the end of the tournament," he added. Asked about his team's preparations for the 19th Asian Games, Abhishek said, "We will face some good teams, and we are working very hard in training to make sure we are in the best physical and mental shape when we step onto the pitch." India are placed in Pool A a

Ruturaj Gaikwad attends practice session in Pune to prepare for Asian Games

Gaikwad will lead Team India in their first-ever campaign at the upcoming Hangzhou Asian Games

Pro Kabaddi League announces new dates for PKL 2023 auction; check dates

Star Sports will live telecast the Pro Kabaddi League auction on October 9 and 10. While fans can watch the live streaming of the PKL 2023 auction on the Disney+Hotstar application

43-member Indian rowing contingent leaves for Asiad 2023 in Hangzhou

A 43-member Indian rowing contingent, including 10 support staff, left for the Hangzhou Asian Games scheduled to commence on September 23. The rowers, 20 men and 13 women, will undergo a week-long acclimatisation-cum-training camp in Hangzhou before checking into the Games Village on September 16. The government has sanctioned Rs one crore for the camp in Hangzhou. India will be fielding its largest contingent of women rowers at the Asian Games as this is the first time Women's Eight has been included in the continental event. The contingent was given a rousing send-off by the Sports Authority of India officials on Wednesday. Earlier this week, Indian sailors and the first batch of boxers also left for China to train ahead of the multi-sport event. While the Indian boxers are training in Wuyishan City, the sailors are training in Ningbo Xiangshan Sailing Centre, which is also the venue for the Asian Games Sailing competitions.

Asian Games 2022: Here are the companies helping Indian team dress up

Asian Games 2022: India's largest-ever contingent comprising 634 athletes will represent the country at the event that will take place from September 23 to October 8 in Hangzhou, China

Asian Games: AIFF urges ISL clubs to release China bound footballers

The All India Football Federation has urged the 10 Indian Super League franchises to release players selected for the upcoming Asian Games, keeping the "national interest in mind". The Hangzhou-bound 22-member Indian men's squad has six players from Bengaluru FC, three from Mumbai City FC, while FC Goa, Mohun Bagan, East Bengal, Odisha FC, Kerala Blasters have two each. Punjab FC, Chennaiyin FC and Hyderabad have one each. The Indian Super League start on on September 21, while the Asian Games begin a day after on September 23 in Hangzhou, China. "We very much understand that this Asian Games is outside the FIFA window, and you are not obliged to release the players," AIFF secretary general Shaji Prabhakaran wrote in a letter to the 10 ISL clubs. "But we all have the responsibility towards the country to make India proud... As Indians we are obliged to make sacrifices for the country and, in this process, you have to take a decision by releasing the players considering the Nationa

Couldn't have asked for a better Indian chess team for Asian Games: Anand

Five-time world champion Viswanathan Anand on Tuesday said he could not have asked for a stronger Indian chess lineup in the upcoming Asian Games. Indian chess has been on a stunning upswing, and in the recently-concluded Baku World Cup, an unprecedented four Indian players advanced to the quarterfinals, with R Praggnanandhaa making history by becoming the youngest to win a silver medal. Adding to this wave of success, last week saw Anand's 17-year-old protege, D Gukesh, ending his mentor's 37-year-long reign as India's No. 1 player. Gukesh achieved an impressive Elo rating of 2758, surpassing the Indian legend by four points and marking a significant milestone in the country's chess history. "I'm always nervous to just look at the rankings and think, oh, we're going to win this, we're going to win that," Anand said during a media interaction on the sidelines of Tata Steel Chess India here. "There are other very good teams. Uzbekistan is good. Vietnam is good. China will field a g

We will return with best medal count from Asian Games: Anurag Thakur

Sports Minister Anurag Thakur on Tuesday asserted that the Indian contingent will win a record number of medals in the upcoming Asian Games in Huangzhou, China. The Sports Ministry has given approval to 634 athletes from 38 different sporting disciplines to participate in the quadrennial Games, which will be held in the Chinese city from September 23 to October 8. "I am confident that as much as the team will represent the young and new India; we will ensure historic performances and return with the best medal count. I urge the country to stand behind our athletes and cheer for them," Thakur said during the team's send-off ceremony in the capital. During the function, the Indian Olympic Association (IOA) unveiled the official ceremonial dress and playing kit for the Indian contingent that will compete at the forthcoming Games. "Additional Rs 675 crore has been approved by government for infrastructure building and Khelo India Games," the minister added. Besides Thakur, the ceremon

Indian shuttlers seek China Open success in build-up to Asian Games 2023

Fresh from winning his maiden World Championships bronze medal, HS Prannoy will spearhead India's campaign alongside Lakshya Sen, who will strive to regain top form before the Asian Games, at the China Open Super 1000 Tournament, beginning here on Tuesday. There will be no Indian in the women's singles as star shuttler PV Sindhu has pulled out in a last-minute decision to focus on the Asian Games. Sindhu, who clinched a silver at the last Asiad, was pitted against Korea's Kim Ga Eun. Kerala shuttler Prannoy had a dream run at the Worlds last month where he stunned world No 1 and Olympic champion Viktor Axelsen en route to his bronze medal. Prannoy, who achieved his career-high world ranking of No 6 on the back of the World Championships show, will open his campaign against Ng Tze Yong of Malaysia. Should he overcome the opening round, Prannoy could potentially face world No. 4 and third-seed Kunlavut Vitidsarn from Thailand in the round of 16, a competitor he has yet to defeat in

NRAI names India's shooting teams for Asian Games, Asian Championship

A 33-member Indian shooting team will take part in the 19th Asian Games in Hangzhou, China, beginning September 23, the National Rifle Association of India (NRAI) said on Saturday. The NRAI also announced on the day a 35-member team for the Asian Championships in Changwon, South Korea, which will be held from October 22 to November 2. The competition assumes significance as a total of 24 Paris Olympics quota places are there to be won, two in each of the 12 individual Olympic events across the three disciplines of rifle, pistol and shotgun. India will feature in all 16 events, including four mixed team events in the Asian Championships and will also be fielding four additional shooters -- Rudrankksh Patil, Mehuli Ghosh, Sift Kaur Samra and Rajeshwari Kumari -- who will compete for ranking points only. These four shooters have already secured Paris quotas and are ineligible to win quotas as a result. The shooting squad has so far won seven quota places for the Paris Games and will

Asia Cup 2023 IND vs PAK: Wasim Akram rates Shaheen, Bumrah and Babar-Virat

Former Pakistan player Wasim Akram gave his verdict on the debate surrounding who is better among India's Jasprit Bumrah and Pakistan's Shaheen Afridi as well as between Babar Azam and Virat Kohli

PKL 2023 Players' auction postponed due to Asian Games preparations

This decision has been taken at the request of the Administrator of the Amateur Kabaddi Federation of India, the officially recognized body for Kabaddi in India

Evenly matched: Smriti Mandhana talks about tackling pressure, Asian Games

Change is in the air, and Mandhana is among the players driving it

World champion Neeraj Chopra finishes second in Zurich Diamond League

Newly-crowned world champion Neeraj Chopra was not at his best but still finished second with a final round throw of 85.71m in the men's javelin event of the Diamond League Meeting here on Thursday. The 25-year-old Chopra, also the reigning Olympic champion, produced three legal throws of 80.79m, 85.22m and 85.71m while the remaining three were fouls. He finished behind Jakub Vadlejch (85.86m) of Czech Republic, who had won a bronze in the World Championships. The Indian superstar, who was unbeaten this season before Thursday, qualified for the Diamond League finals to be held on September 17 in Eugene, USA, with 23 points from three meets. He had won the Diamond League trophy last year. He had won the Diamond League Meetings in Doha (May 5) and Lausanne (June 30) -- his only two competitions before winning a historic gold in the World Championships in Budapest on Sunday with a throw of 88.17m. During the pre-event press conference here, Chopra had said that he was feeling a bit of

Asian Games 2023: Akashdeep, Karthi big miss outs in India's hockey squad

Veteran striker Akashdeep Singh and young Karthi Selvam have been dropped but experienced Lalit Upadhyay made a comeback to the 18-member Indian men's hockey team selected for the upcoming Asian Games in Hangzhou, China. Hockey India selectors dropped three players -- Akashdeep, Karthi and defender Jugraj Singh from the champion side of the Asian Champions Trophy held in Chennai earlier this month. Drag-flicker Harmanpreet Singh and midfielder Hardik Singh will continue to don the roles of captain and vice-captain in the Asian Games. Jugraj has been replaced by Sanjay, while Lalit and Abhishek came in place of Akashdeep and Karthi. The team has two goalkeepers in veteran PR Sreejesh and Krishan Bahadur Pathak. Besides two goalkeepers, the Asian Games-bound team will have six defenders, five midfielders and as many forwards. Meanwhile, goalkeeper Savita Punia will lead the 18-member Indian women's hockey team in the Asian Games. Experienced Sushila Chanu Pukhrambam, Baljeet Kaur