India Kicks Off Asian Games 2026 with Silver Medals in Shooting and MMA

India has kicked off its Asian Games 2026 campaign with impressive performances, securing two silver medals in shooting and MMA on the opening day. Elavenil Valarivan shone in the shooting events, while Suchika Tariyal ensured a medal in mixed martial arts. The Indian contingent aims to build on this momentum as they prepare for a busy second day of competition, with hopes of adding to their medal tally across various sports. The Games also serve as a platform for athletes to qualify for the upcoming Los Angeles 2028 Olympics.

By Narendra Chaudhary Sep 20, 2026, 21:03 IST

India's Medal Journey Begins at Asian Games 2026

India commenced its Asian Games 2026 journey by securing two silver medals in shooting, thanks to Elavenil Valarivan's outstanding performances in both individual and team events. Additionally, mixed martial artist Suchika Tariyal ensured another medal on the first day of competition in Aichi-Nagoya on Sunday.

Shooting and MMA: Initial Success

Elavenil teamed up with Sonam Maskar and Vidarsa Vinod to clinch silver in the women's 10m air rifle team event, later adding an individual silver to her tally. She was in contention for gold for a significant part of the individual final, but Japan's Hinata Taichi ultimately secured the top position in the closing moments.

In MMA, Suchika triumphed over Mongolia's Altanchimeg Baigalmaa in the women's traditional 60kg quarterfinal, guaranteeing herself a medal and aiming to advance further in the competition.

Day 1 Medal Standings

At the end of Day 1, India ranked 10th in the medal standings with two silver medals. China led the table with 20 medals, including 11 gold, while Japan also amassed 20 medals but with six golds, placing them second.

Recap of the Opening Ceremony

The opening ceremony was held on Saturday, featuring India's double Olympic medallist Manu Bhaker and Kabaddi gold medallist Pawan Sehrawat leading the Indian delegation during the parade.

Team Events Update

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Individual Competitions

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Looking Ahead to Day 2

India's opening day featured both medal-winning performances and early exits, with the contingent now focusing on a busy second day.

In shooting, Himanshu Dhillon, Parth Mane, and Rudrankksh Patil will compete in the men's 10m air rifle individual and team events. Suchika will also return to action, aiming for a place in the final of the traditional 60kg MMA competition after already securing a medal.

The Indian kabaddi teams are set to commence their campaigns on Monday, while the table tennis schedule includes two India-Pakistan encounters.

India aims to enhance its medal tally on Monday as the competition intensifies across shooting, MMA, kabaddi, hockey, and table tennis.

India's Contingent and Olympic Aspirations

India arrived in Japan with the goal of improving upon its performance at the Hangzhou Asian Games, where it finished fourth in the medal standings with a total of 106 medals, including 28 gold, 38 silver, and 40 bronze.

The Indian contingent includes five individual Olympic medallists, although defending javelin throw champion Neeraj Chopra withdrew due to an ankle injury. Weightlifter Mirabai Chanu leads the weightlifting team, while Lovlina Borgohain is set to compete in boxing and Aman Sehrawat will represent the country in wrestling.

India's boxers come off a record-breaking Commonwealth Games campaign, where they secured 10 medals, including seven gold.

Athletics is expected to play a significant role in India's campaign, with over 70 track and field athletes participating. Notable athletes include Gulveer Singh, Tejaswin Shankar, and Olympian Sarvesh Kushare, while Tajinderpal Singh Toor aims to maintain his shot put dominance after winning the title in the last two editions.

India also seeks to defend its titles in men's and women's cricket and kabaddi, along with the men's hockey crown. In men's cricket, Shreyas Iyer will lead the title defence in the T20 competition, with teenage batter Vaibhav Sooryavanshi included in the squad.

The Games present Indian athletes with opportunities to secure qualification spots for the Los Angeles 2028 Olympics in archery, sailing, squash, surfing, and tennis, in addition to the direct qualification available in hockey.

New Sports and Venues

The Aichi-Nagoya Games have introduced several new sports and disciplines, including mixed martial arts, padel, surfing, virtual taekwondo, and teqball. Esports and breaking, which made their Asian Games medal debuts in Hangzhou, will also be featured.

Competitions are taking place across Aichi Prefecture and other regions of Japan, with events hosted in cities such as Tokyo and Osaka. The main arena is the Nagoya City Mizuho Park Athletic Stadium.