Asian Games 2026

Indian golfer Pranavi Urs believes her work with a sports psychologist played a crucial role in helping her win the Asian Games women's individual golf gold medal. The 23-year-old faced intense pressure heading into the final round at Kasugai Country Club East Course. She had struggled to sleep the night before and saw her three-shot overnight lead disappear after a triple-bogey 7 on the third hole. The mistake gave China's world No. 6 Yin Ruoning the advantage, but Pranavi was able to stay

Harmanpreet Kaur has stepped down as the captain of the Indian women’s cricket team across all formats. Her decision comes shortly after she guided India to the gold medal at the Asian Games 2026, adding another major achievement to her captaincy career. One of her biggest accomplishments came in 2025, when she led India to their maiden ODI World Cup title. ‘The Decision Was Not Easy’ Harmanpreet described the decision to leave the captaincy as a difficult one, reflecting on years of memories,

d a cruise ship as part of a cost-saving approach. However, the arrangements struggled to cope with the number of participants. Some athletes reportedly waited for up to 12 hours to complete registration, while others encountered double-booked rooms or accommodation assigned to the wrong teammates. Transport problems also affected several teams. Shuttle buses reportedly failed to arrive, while some took athletes to incorrect venues, resulting in delays to competitions. Organisers issued repeated apologies as complaints continued throughout the event. Young Athletes Become the

Indian judoka Asmita Dey arrives at the Asian Games less than two months after making history as the first Indian judoka to win Commonwealth Games gold. Her triumph in Birmingham changed her profile almost overnight. The 24-year-old, who had spent much of her career away from the spotlight, began receiving widespread recognition after her historic achievement. “Before, no one knew me. But now everyone knows me,” Asmita told TimesofIndia.com, recalling how people began recognising her in public. Recognition Brings Special Meaning The new

Indian wrestler Sunil Kumar was defeated by Japan’s Taizo Yoshida in the men’s Greco-Roman 87kg semifinal at the Asian Games 2026 on September 30. Yoshida secured an 11-0 victory by technical superiority to book his place in the final. Despite the semifinal defeat, Sunil Kumar remains in medal contention and will compete in the bronze medal match against a repechage contender. Sunil had started his campaign strongly, defeating Tajikistan’s Muhammad Sultonzoda 9-0 by technical superiority in the opening round. Indian Women’s Compound Team

UAE pair Fatima Al Janahi and Aisha Al Awadhi made an impressive start to the women’s doubles padel competition at the Asian Games in Nagoya, Japan, on Tuesday. The duo defeated Lilia Msayki and Maria Bredi of Lebanon 6-3, 7-6 in their opening-round match to advance to the next stage. UAE Duo Show Strong Partnership Aisha Al Awadhi praised her partnership with Fatima after their first-round victory, highlighting their understanding and ability to support each other on court. She said Fatima complements her

Eighteen-year-old Mariam Kareem made a remarkable Asian Games debut on Monday, winning the UAE’s first gold medal of the ongoing Games in Nagoya. Kareem claimed the women’s 400m hurdles title with a Games-record time of 54.31 seconds, delivering a standout performance on the track. Kareem Breaks Asian Games Record After qualifying for the final with a personal-best time of 55.14 seconds in the heats on Sunday, Kareem produced an even stronger performance in the final. Her time of 54.31 seconds secured the gold

Smriti Mandhana produced a brilliant batting performance as India defeated Sri Lanka by 147 runs to win the women’s cricket gold medal at the Asian Games on Tuesday. The victory gave India their second consecutive Asian Games gold medal in women’s cricket, following their triumph at the 2022 Games in China. Mandhana Leads India to Record Total India posted a record 216-3 in the final at the Korogi Athletic Park in Nagoya, registering the highest total in Asian Games women’s cricket. Mandhana was

North Korea’s Ri Song Gum delivered a historic performance at the Asian Games in Nagoya on Wednesday, winning the country’s first gold medal of the Games while setting three world records in the women’s 49kg weightlifting category. Ri Breaks Three World Records Ri produced a remarkable performance across both disciplines. She lifted 94kg in the snatch, surpassing the previous world record of 93kg by one kilogram. The North Korean lifter then broke the clean and jerk world record twice. She first lifted 116kg

Qatar’s motorsport star Nasser Al-Attiyah achieved a remarkable sporting double on Wednesday after winning shooting gold at the Asian Games in the same year he secured another Dakar Rally title. Qatar Wins Men’s Skeet Gold The 55-year-old Al-Attiyah was part of the Qatar men’s skeet team that claimed the gold medal in Nagoya. Qatar finished ahead of Kuwait and India to take the top spot. The victory added another major achievement to Al-Attiyah’s impressive sporting career. Third Asian Games Gold Medal Al-Attiyah has

 A resolute captain's knock from Fatima Sana and a clinical spin-bowling display by off-spinner Umm-e-Hani steered Pakistan Women to a 31-run victory over Bangladesh Women in the third-place play-off at Korogi Sports Park. Defending a total of 145/8, Pakistan's bowling unit stifled the Bangladesh chase, restricting them to 114/7 in their 20 overs.  The triumph secures the bronze medal for Pakistan, marking a welcome return to the podium after missing out in the previous edition. First Innings: Pakistan Recover After Mid-Innings Wobble Opting

The fourth day of the 2026 Asian Games in Japan brought an intense morning of sports action for the Indian contingent.  With six medals already secured—four silver and two bronze—the primary goal remains unchanged: capturing that coveted first gold medal. From the shooting ranges to the badminton courts and the cricket pitch, India's top athletes faced fierce battles against world-class opposition. Big Match: Women’s Cricket Sets Sights on Continental Crown The centerpiece of the day's lineup is a blockbuster showdown between two familiar

South Korea defeated hosts Japan 67-57 in the men's basketball final on Sunday to win the Asian Games gold medal in Nagoya. The victory ended Japan's hopes of winning gold on home soil and gave South Korea their first men's basketball title since the 2014 Incheon Asian Games. Lee Hyun-jun Leads South Korea Lee Hyun-jun was the standout performer for South Korea, finishing with 27 points, including five three-pointers. The Korean forward played a key role in a closely contested game and helped

India delivered a dominant performance against Bangladesh on Sunday, securing a 114-run victory in the Asian Games women's cricket semi-final. The win took India into the gold-medal match, where they will face Sri Lanka on Tuesday. Shafali Verma Hits Maiden T20I Century The biggest highlight of India's innings was Shafali Verma's maiden T20 international century. Verma remained unbeaten on 100 from 49 balls, smashing three fours and nine sixes. She reached the landmark from the final delivery of India's 20 overs and celebrated

The Indian men's cricket team has arrived in Japan ahead of their historic one-off T20I against Japan and the men's cricket tournament at the 2026 Asian Games. The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) shared visuals of the team's arrival on Monday, showing players receiving a warm welcome from fans. Star Players Join the Japan Tour The arrival video featured several prominent Indian players, including Ishan Kishan, Jasprit Bumrah, Shreyas Iyer, Arshdeep Singh and Ravi Bishnoi. Fans gathered to welcome the

India’s men’s and women’s hockey teams will return to their traditional blue jerseys at the 2026 Asian Games after wearing saffron and white kits during the recent World Cups. The decision brings back a colour that has been closely associated with Indian hockey for decades. Hockey India Brings Back the Traditional Blue Jersey The decision to restore blue comes after considerable discussion and criticism surrounding the switch to saffron. India has predominantly played in blue since making its Olympic debut in 1928, making

It is a tale of grit, academia and will power as Indian discus thrower Seema Kaliramna has turned her sporting journey into. The 27-year-old from Haryana, who won a bronze at the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow, now has her eyes firmly fixed on next year's Asian Games in Japan - an important step as she seeks to achieve her ultimate goal of competing for India at the Olympic Games. Seema is not your run-of-the-mill athlete. She is originally from Dinod in Bhiwani, and

A senior BCCI official has hit back at critics over Sanju Samson's exclusion. The wicketkeeper batter was left out of India's squad for Zimbabwe. Samson's omission sparked immediate uproar among fans and cricket experts. He had starred as Player of the Tournament during India's T20 World Cup win. The official clarified that Samson was rested, not dropped from the team. Selectors reportedly felt he would not play a single match anyway. Carrying a senior player just to sit on the bench made little