The names of two Indian athletes participating in the 2026 Asian Games in Nagoya, Japan, attracted the attention of football fans. At the current Asian Games, Ronaldo and David Beckham represented India. As soon as these names became known, people recalled the football superstars Cristiano Ronaldo and David Beckham, but the story of these two athletes is completely different.
Ronaldo Singh Latondjam and David Beckham Elkatochongo are cyclists from India. Both have been active in Indian track cycling for a long time and have gained recognition at the national level.
David Beckham Elkatochongo managed to reach the semi-finals of the men's sprint, where he took fifth place in his qualifying race, but could not advance to the final. Previously, Beckham qualified for the semi-finals of the men's sprint, taking third place in his qualifying race. On the other hand, Ronaldo Singh Latondjam finished sixth in his qualifying race during the preliminary round.
Ronaldo Singh Latondjam, hailing from Manipur, is considered one of the best sprinters in India. He made history by winning a silver medal at the Asian Track Cycling Championships. He became the first Indian cyclist to win an individual silver medal at this competition. Most interesting is the origin of his name: it was not named after the Portuguese footballer Cristiano Ronaldo. It is said that the inspiration for his name is related to the famous Brazilian footballer Ronaldinho. Thanks to his high speed and performances in track sprinting, Ronaldo has become one of the leading figures in Indian cycling.
The second athlete is David Beckham Elkatochongo. When this name is mentioned, the image of the former England captain David Beckham often comes to mind, but the sport of Indian Beckham is not football, but track cycling. Beckham has won numerous titles at the national level and set national records in sprint disciplines. His speed and results helped him secure a place among the leading track cyclists in India.
Interest on social media also increased after the participation of Ronaldo and David Beckham in the Indian team at the Asian Games became known. Many initially associated these names with famous football stars. However, when the identity of the athletes was established, it turned out that they were two cyclists from India who are constantly advancing in their sport.