Indian Athletes Gear Up for Action-Packed Day 8 at Asian Games 2026

The Indian contingent is gearing up for an action-packed Day 8 at the Asian Games 2026, featuring a variety of medal events, finals, and crucial qualification rounds. With competitions in sports like badminton, athletics, equestrian, and shooting, this day promises to be one of the busiest yet. Key athletes will face tough opponents, and fans can expect thrilling performances as India aims for glory in Aichi-Nagoya. Don't miss the excitement as the day unfolds with numerous opportunities for medals and high-stakes contests.

By Narendra Chaudhary Sep 26, 2026, 22:45 IST

Exciting Events Await on Day 8

The Indian team is poised for an exhilarating Day 8 at the Asian Games 2026, scheduled for Sunday, featuring numerous medal events, finals, and critical qualification rounds across various sports.

Morning Events Kick Off

The day starts early with Kamali Moorthy competing against Singapore's Camille Marie in the women's shortboard Round 2 at 3:58 AM IST at Long Beach, Tahara. At 4:00 AM, race walkers Priyanka and Manju Rani will participate in the women's marathon race walk final. Additionally, India's archers, including Sahil Rajesh Jadhav, Thirumuru Ganesh Maniratnam, and Kushal Dalal, will begin their elimination round against the UAE, while the women's team faces Mongolia. Surfers Sugar Shanti Banarse and Sivaraj Babu will also be in action, and the Sepaktakraw team will compete against the Republic of Korea at 5:30 AM.

Focus on Equestrian, Badminton, and Shooting

At 6:00 AM, equestrian riders Hriday Chheda and Jai Sud will participate in the individual dressage final. In badminton, Treesa Jolly and Gayatri Gopichand will face Malaysia in the women's doubles quarterfinals, while Dhruv and Tanisha will compete against China's Feng Yan Zhe and Huang Dongping in mixed doubles. The shooting team, featuring Esha Singh, Manu Bhaker, and Rahi Sarnobat, will begin their 25m pistol precision qualification at 6:10 AM, followed by trap shooters at 6:30 AM.

Mid-Morning Competitions

Kurash athletes Sangita and Bharti will start their events at 6:30 AM, while India's mixed archery teams will compete at 7:30 AM. Sailors will also be in action at Kaiyoh Yacht Harbor, and decathletes Tejaswin Shankar and Thowfeeq Noushad will continue their demanding schedule, competing in events like the 110m hurdles and javelin throw throughout the day.

Fencing and Athletics Heats

At 8:20 AM, CA Bhavani Devi and the women's sabre fencing team will take on Indonesia. Indian athletes will also participate in the 400m hurdles heats and long jump qualification, with competitors including Santosh Kumar Tamilarasan, Yashas Palaksha, Vithya Ramraj, and Anu Raghavan.

Afternoon Finals and Quarterfinals

In the afternoon, badminton stars PV Sindhu and Unnati Hooda will face tough opponents in the women's singles quarterfinals, with Sindhu matched against China's Chen Yufei and Hooda against Japan's Akane Yamaguchi. Weightlifter Harjinder Kaur will compete in the women's 69kg final Group A at 10:00 AM.

Squash Gold Medal Matches

Squash will present two significant gold medal opportunities for India. Abhay Singh will compete against Malaysia's Ng Eain Yow in the men's singles final at 12:30 PM, while Anahat Singh will face Malaysia's Sivasangari Subramaniam in the women's singles final at 1:30 PM.

Team Sports and Boxing Matches

In team sports, the men's volleyball team will take on Vietnam at 12:30 PM, and the women's hockey team will face Singapore in a Pool B match at 3:30 PM. Indian boxers Ankush, Parveen, Sachin, and Narender will also participate in their respective quarterfinal bouts.

Evening Athletics Finals

Athletics will take center stage in the evening, with Shaili Singh and Ancy Sojan Edapilly competing in the women's long jump final at 3:25 PM. Harita Bhadra and Unnati Aiyappa Bolland will run in the women's 200m final, followed by Animesh Kujur in the men's 200m final. Sarvesh Anil Kushare and Adarsh Ram Jothi Shankar will contest the men's high jump final, while Nandhini Kongan will compete in the women's 100m hurdles final. Parul Chaudhary and Ankita will then participate in the women's 3000m steeplechase final, concluding the day's athletics events with the women's 4x100m relay team.

A Day Full of Opportunities

With numerous medal opportunities in squash, athletics, weightlifting, equestrian, and race walking, along with high-stakes competitions in badminton, archery, shooting, and team sports, Day 8 is set to be one of the most eventful days for the Indian contingent at the Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games.