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

India's Strong Start at Asian Games 2026

In Aichi-Nagoya, Japan, India commenced its Asian Games 2026 journey by securing two silver medals in shooting, thanks to the impressive performances of Elavenil Valarivan, both individually and as part of a team. Additionally, mixed martial artist Suchika Tariyal also ensured a medal on the very first day of the competition.

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 accolades. She was in contention for gold for a significant portion of the individual final, but Japan's Hinata Taichi managed to maintain composure in the final moments to take the gold.

Suchika secured her place in the medal standings by defeating Mongolia's Altanchimeg Baigalmaa in the women's traditional 60kg quarterfinal, aiming to advance further in the competition.

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

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.

India's table tennis results were mixed, with the men's team starting strong with a 3-0 win over Indonesia in Group F, but faltering against Iran later in the day, losing 0-3.

In the match against Indonesia, Sathiyan Gnanasekaran, Manav Thakkar, and Manush Shah each won their matches, securing a clean sweep. Thakkar faced a tough challenge but ultimately triumphed in five games, while Shah sealed the tie with a straight-set victory.

However, the men's team struggled against Iran, with Noshad Alamiyan defeating Manush Shah in the opening match. Benyamin Faraji then secured a win over Manav Thakkar, putting Iran ahead 2-0. Harmeet Desai fought hard against Nima Alamian but ultimately lost in a five-game thriller, resulting in a 3-0 defeat for India.

The women's team, on the other hand, began their campaign with a 3-0 victory over Indonesia and followed it up with a narrow 3-2 win against Singapore.

In hockey, the Indian women's team had a remarkable start, overpowering Uzbekistan with a staggering 19-0 victory in their Pool B match. The men's team also enjoyed success, defeating Indonesia 13-1 in Pool A.

The women's hockey team aims to build on this momentum as they prepare to face Indonesia in their next group match on Monday. Hockey holds particular importance at the Aichi-Nagoya Games, as both men's and women's tournaments serve as qualifiers for the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics, with the winners securing direct entry.

India's women's cricket team advanced to the gold medal match after defeating Bangladesh in the semifinals and will face Sri Lanka, who triumphed over Pakistan in the other semifinal.

The women's badminton team also started strong, achieving a 3-0 victory against Kazakhstan in the first round of the team event.

In swimming, Rishabh Das finished sixth in the men's 100m backstroke final after qualifying for the medal race, while his compatriot Utkarsh Patil placed 12th and did not advance.

In wushu, Suraj Singh Mayanglambam finished 11th in the men's Changquan final, while Aparna Dahiya and Vikrant Baliyan exited the Sanda competitions in the round of 16.

In teqball, Quimcy Dsouza lost to Japan's Yuina Sakamoto in the women's singles bronze medal match, and she and Mohamed Anas Beg were defeated in the mixed doubles bronze medal contest against Vietnam.

India's opening day was a mix of medal-winning performances and early exits, with the team now focusing on a busy second day ahead.

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

The Indian kabaddi teams will kick off their campaigns on Monday, and the table tennis schedule includes two encounters between India and Pakistan.

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 golds, 38 silvers, and 40 bronzes.

The Indian contingent includes five individual Olympic medallists, although defending javelin throw champion Neeraj Chopra had to withdraw 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 India in wrestling.

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

Athletics is anticipated 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 continue his dominance in shot put after winning the title in the last two editions.

India will also strive to defend its titles in men's and women's cricket and kabaddi, as well as the men's hockey championship. In men's cricket, Shreyas Iyer will lead the title defense in the T20 competition, with teenage batter Vaibhav Sooryavanshi included in the squad.

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

In squash, young talent Anahat Singh returns after contributing to India's women's team bronze at Hangzhou 2023 and winning a mixed doubles bronze alongside Abhay Singh, making her a key player in India's campaign.

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 like Tokyo and Osaka. The main venue is the Nagoya City Mizuho Park Athletic Stadium.

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