On the fifth day of the 2026 Asian Games: India wins two medals in wushu and rowing, total tally reaches 14 medals

The second day of the 2026 Asian Games proved mixed for Indian athletes; however, they demonstrated impressive performance by winning a total of four new medals (three silver and one bronze). The main focus was on the shooting range and the mixed martial arts (MMA) arena.

Despite the successes, India has yet to secure its first gold medal. The day started brightly for India: the men's air rifle team in the 10-meter distance won a silver medal thanks to excellent aiming. Individual competitions also brought success afterward.

Himanshu Dhillou secured a silver medal, and former world champion Rudranaksh Patil won bronze, demonstrating strong competition. Furthermore, Suchika Tarial from the mixed martial arts section set a historic record by winning a bronze medal in the women's traditional fighting category at 60 kg.

Tension peaked in the matches between India and Pakistan. In the team table tennis tournament, India achieved a convincing victory over Pakistan with a score of 3:0 in both their encounters, defeating the Pakistani team twice in one day.

The women's table tennis team, consisting of Sutirta Mukki, young athlete Sindrela Das, and Shridhi Akula, left no chance for the Pakistani team. Subsequently, the men's table tennis team continued its confident play against Pakistan, easily winning its matches involving Ji Satyan, Harmit Desai, and Pais Jain.

Significant events also occurred in sports disciplines. The women's hockey team of India achieved a one-sided victory over Indonesia with a score of 17:1. In kabaddi, both teams—men's and women's, the reigning Indian champions—started their tournament strongly: the men's team defeated Japan with a score of 49:24, and the women's team defeated Bangladesh with a score of 42:21.

In badminton, the men's Indian team advanced to the quarterfinals, defeating Bangladesh 3:0, thanks to the performances of Lakshya Sen, Ayusha Shetty, and Kidambi Srikanth. In boxing, in the 32kg weight class, Sumit beat Bunjong Sinsiri from Thailand with a score of 5:0 and advanced to the next stage. In Wushu, Roshbina Devi and Aryan secured their place in the quarterfinals by achieving brilliant victories in their matches.

In the 28th Asian Games, held in the city of Aichi-Nagoya, Japan, 503 athletes from India are participating. Among them are 269 men and 234 women competing in 34 different sports.

The largest number of participants in the Indian delegation is in athletics, where there are 74 athletes. India's hopes for winning medals in running and field events are tied to this large group.

Additionally, other significant sports include field hockey with a team of 40 people, as well as cricket and shooting, where India will be represented by 30 athletes each. A team of 24 people will compete in kabaddi.

The Indian delegation is currently smaller than the one sent to the Asian Games in Hangzhou in 2022, when 661 athletes were dispatched. Nevertheless, in Hangzhou, India demonstrated outstanding results, winning a total of 106 medals, which was the best achievement for the country at the Asian Games to date. This time, Indian athletes aim to surpass this previous success.

The live blog for the first day of the Asian Games provides constant updates on the sports in which India is participating on the first day. Users are advised to refresh the page for the latest information.

The vibrant opening of the 2026 Asian Games took place in Nagoya. The ceremony was held at the Mizuho Park Athletic Stadium in Japan on Saturday, September 19, and featured high-tech and colorful decorations.

The opening was declared by Emperor Naruhito of Japan in the presence of Empress Masako, members of the royal family, Sheikh Juan bin Hamad Al Tani, Chairman of the Olympic Council of Asia (OCA), and Kirsty Coventry, President of the International Olympic Committee (IOC). The ceremony, which lasted about two hours, began with the playing of the Japanese national anthem, followed by the raising of the national flag. Nine members of the Japan Self-Defense Forces brought the flag to the stage, after which the stadium lighting was turned off, and the national flag was illuminated by spotlights.

Next was the parade of athletes from 45 countries and the OCA refugee team, totaling 46 delegations. Representatives of Afghanistan participated first in the parade, while China, an Asian sporting power, drew attention with its contingent of over 800 athletes.

The flag was held by Manu Bhaker, a two-time Olympic medalist from Paris, and Pawan Sehrawat, an Asian Games champion in Kabaddi from Hangzhou. Both representatives of India led the Indian delegation in traditional dark blue suits. It was noted that Pawan Sehrawat was appointed flag bearer at the last minute instead of Tajinderpal Singh Tur because Tur could not attend the ceremony due to the late delivery of the necessary official kit.

Despite the high-tech and colorful event, many empty seats were observed in the stadium, and the overall atmosphere of the celebration seemed less noisy and grand than usual. These empty stands attracted the attention of spectators. The Indian team participating in these games consists of 501 athletes. The goal of the Indian team is to surpass the results achieved at the Hangzhou Asian Games in 2023, where India performed best by winning 106 medals, including 28 gold, and finishing fourth in the overall standings.

Many competitions have already started before the Asian Games opening. For example, the Indian team, led by Harmanpreet Kaur, defeated the host Japan by a margin of 8 points in women's cricket and advanced to the semi-finals. Additionally, India is also competing for medals in Teqball, which is entering the Asian Games program for the first time. Kimsi Di'Suja from India lost in the women's singles semi-final in Teqball and will now play for the bronze medal.

The Asian Games will take place from September 19 to October 4. The Mizuho Park Athletic Stadium in Nagoya will host both the opening and closing ceremonies. This time, approximately 11,000 athletes from 45 countries and the OCA refugee team will participate in 43 sports, with 469 gold medals at stake.