New Delhi, Sep 17 : India’s campaign at the 2026 Asian Games got underway on September 17, with the country’s athletes beginning competition ahead of the official opening ceremony in Japan.
The Aichi-Nagoya Games are scheduled to run from September 19 to October 4, but several sporting events have started earlier. Teqball became the first discipline involving Indian athletes, marking a new chapter for the country’s participation at the continental multi-sport event.
Declan Marshall Gonsalves and Mohamed Anas Imran Beg are representing India in the sport and are among the first Indian competitors to take part in this edition of the Games.
India has sent a large contingent across a wide range of disciplines, including athletics, shooting, archery, badminton, boxing, hockey, cricket, wrestling, weightlifting, squash and tennis.
The country is seeking to build on its performance at the 2022 Asian Games in Hangzhou, where Indian athletes won a record 107 medals. Reuters reported that India is targeting another 100-plus medal haul in Japan, although several sporting events will determine the final outcome.
With competition beginning before the opening ceremony, Indian athletes will have an opportunity to establish early momentum as the multi-sport event gets underway.