Indian Athletes Gear Up for Medal Contests at Asian Games 2026

As the Asian Games 2026 commence, Indian athletes are gearing up to compete for medals across various sports. The day kicks off with teqball player Quimcy Dsouza aiming for a bronze medal, followed by shooters Elavenil Valarivan, Sonam Maskar, and Vidarsa Vinod in the women's 10m air rifle event. The women's hockey team will also start their campaign against Uzbekistan, while the men's team faces Indonesia. With a packed schedule featuring table tennis, badminton, and women's cricket, the excitement is palpable as India embarks on its journey at the Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games.

By Narendra Chaudhary Sep 19, 2026, 19:34 IST

Medal Hopes Begin on September 20, 2026

The Asian Games 2026 is set to kick off with Indian athletes competing for medals across various sports disciplines starting this Sunday, as reported by ESPN.

Teqball competitor Quimcy Dsouza will have the honor of potentially securing India's first medal when she faces Japan's Yuina Sakamoto in the bronze medal match early in the morning.

Later in the day, shooters Elavenil Valarivan, Sonam Maskar, and Vidarsa Vinod will strive for podium finishes in the women's 10m air rifle event, competing for both individual and team accolades.

The Indian women's hockey team will also commence its journey on Sunday, taking on Uzbekistan in their opening group-stage match, while the men's hockey team is scheduled to face Indonesia in their first tournament match, according to ESPN.

In addition to these events, Indian athletes will participate in table tennis, badminton, and women's cricket as they embark on their campaign at the Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games.

India's Schedule for September 20, 2026

Here’s a detailed schedule for India on September 20, 2026, as per ESPN:

5:10 AM IST: Mixed Martial Arts - Suchika Tariyal vs Altanchimeg Baigalmaa (Mongolia) in Women's Traditional 60kg Quarterfinal.

5:30 AM IST: Wushu - Suraj Singh Mayanglambam in Men's Changquan Final.

6:15 AM IST: Shooting - Elavenil Valarivan, Sonam Maskar, Vidarsa Vinod in Women's 10m Air Rifle Individual Qualifying and Team Final.

6:30 AM IST: Teqball - Quimcy Dsouza vs Yuina Sakamoto (Japan) in Women's Singles Bronze Medal match.

6:30 AM IST: Table Tennis - India vs Indonesia in Women's Team Group F match.

7:00 AM IST: Teqball - Quimcy Dsouza/Mohamed Anas Beg vs Hoang Minh Tan Nguyen/Gia Ngih Trinh (Vietnam) in Mixed Doubles Bronze Medal match.

7:22 AM IST: Swimming - Akash Mani in Men's 100m Freestyle Heat 5.

7:30 AM IST: Hockey - India vs Uzbekistan in Women's Pool B match.

7:37 AM IST: Swimming - Utkarsh Patil and Rishabh Das in Men's 100m Backstroke Heat 3.

9:00 AM IST: Table Tennis - India vs Indonesia in Men's Team Group F match.

10:30 AM IST: Cricket - India vs Bangladesh in Women's Semifinal.

11 AM IST: Shooting - Elavenil Valarivan, Sonam Maskar, Vidarsa Vinod in Women's 10m Air Rifle Individual Final (subject to qualification).

11 AM IST: Mixed Martial Arts: Varun Sanyal vs. TBC in Men's Traditional 77kg Quarterfinal.

11:30 AM IST: Hockey - India vs Indonesia in Men's Pool A match.

11:30 AM IST: Badminton - India vs Kazakhstan in Women's Team first round.

12:30 PM IST: Table Tennis - India vs Singapore in Women's Team Group F match.

3:00 PM IST: Table Tennis - India vs Iran in Men's Team Group F match.

3:10 PM IST: Wushu - Aparna vs Sogand Sinkaeichetan (Iran) in Women's 52kg Sanda Round of 16.

4:50 PM IST: Wushu - Vikrant Baliyan vs Soheil Mousavi (Iran) in Men's 75kg Sanda Round of 16.