Asian Games 2026: Five Indian medal prospects and their strongest competitors

FILE PHOTO: Indian teenager Anahat Singh (left) may have to beat Malaysian World No. 5 Sivasangari Subramaniam (right) in order to secure the women’s singles gold in squash at the upcoming Asian Games. | Photo Credit: R. RAVINDRAN & SIVASANGARI SUBRAMANIAM (Via Instagram)

The 20th edition of the Asian Games is set to be held in Aichi-Nagoya, Japan, from September 19 to October 4.

After winning 106 medals, including 28 gold, at the previous edition in Hangzhou in 2023, India will look to do even better this time in Japan.

The Indian contingent has talented athletes across various disciplines. However, the competition is going to be tough and challenging.

Here are some of India’s top medal prospects and their strongest rivals:-

Squash (women’s singles) - Anahat Singh and Malaysia’s Sivasangari Subramaniam

In 2023, when Anahat Singh went to Hangzhou for her Asian Games debut, she wasn’t picked for the singles event. Three years later, she is India’s top-ranked player and one of the favourites for the gold medal in the women’s competition. The 18-year-old, who hails from Delhi, has enjoyed remarkable growth in a very short span. She dominated the junior circuit and recently made history by becoming India’s first-ever Junior World Champion. At the same time, she has successfully made the transition to the senior level and shown that she belongs there.

With squash set to make its Olympic debut in Los Angeles in 2028, the stakes have never been higher at the Asian Games. World No. 20 Anahat is Asia’s third-best player at the moment and in Japan, her strongest rival will be Malaysian World No. 5 Sivasangari Subramaniam.

Sivasangari is the reigning Asian Games champion. This year, she has won the Grasshopper Cup, reached the World Championship quarterfinals and the summit clash of the PSA Squash Tour Finals 2025-26.

She holds a 2-0 head-to-head advantage over the Indian teenager but with a ticket to LA on the cards, an upset cannot be ruled out.

Wrestling (Women’s 53kg) - Antim Panghal and Zhang Jin (China)

FILE PHOTO: Antim Panghal (left) may have beaten China’s Zhang Jin (right) at last year’s World Championships and during a Ranking Series event in Hungary in July but both contests were quite close.  | Photo Credit: Getty Images & United World Wrestling/Jake Kirkman

As the reigning World No. 1 in her weight category, expectations are high from Antim Panghal to improve on the bronze medal she won at Hangzhou. Since winning that medal at the age of 19, Antim has gained considerably more experience. She has also won two world championship medals and also competed at the Olympics.

She will also be itching to prove herself after shockingly failing to qualify for the Asian Championships earlier this year. The entry list makes clear how difficult the road to gold will be for Antim, though. China’s Asian champion Zhang Jin will pose a real threat.

Zhang is a talented 19-year-old wrestler who continues to improve as she gains more experience at the senior level.

Antim may have beaten her at last year’s World Championships and during a Ranking Series event in Hungary in July but both contests were quite close. The Indian will not make the mistake of taking the Chinese wrestler lightly in case they meet again.

Archery (Men’s Recurve Individual) - Dhiraj Bommadevara and Kim Woojin (South Korea)

FILE PHOTO: In Japan, decorated South Korean archer Kim Woojin (right) is set to be India’s Dhiraj Bommadevara’s (left) biggest competitor in men’s individual recurve event. | Photo Credit: World Archery Federation via Getty Images

Dhiraj enters this edition of the Asian Games as the highest-ranked Asian recurve archer in the world, sitting No. 4 globally.

That ranking has been built on a string of performances stretching back to the Asian Championships in late 2025, where he beat compatriot Rahul in the final to clinch his maiden Asian gold. Recently, he created history by becoming the first Indian male recurve archer to win the World Cup Final.

In Japan, South Korea’s Kim Woojin is set to be Dhiraj’s biggest competitor. The 34-year-old Kim is a decorated archer with plenty of experience. He is the reigning individual Olympic champion, has two World Championships gold medals and two Asian Games crowns as well.

Kim hasn’t won a medal at any of the World Cup stages this year but he has a habit of stepping up when it really matters.

Athletics (Decathlon) - Tejaswin Shankar and Yuma Maruyama (Japan)

FILE PHOTO: India’s Tejaswin Shankar (left) will probably have to record a huge Personal Best in order to upset home favourite Yuma Maruyama (right) in decathlon. | Photo Credit: Reuters & AFP

Tejaswin Shankar has advanced considerably since his Hangzhou decathlon silver of 7,666 points. He won February’s Asian Indoor heptathlon with an Indian record of 5,993, then became the first Indian past 8,000 points in the decathlon, scoring 8,057 at the Federation Cup. At the Commonwealth Games, he managed patellar tendon pain and still collected bronze with 7,976.

However, he is not the favourite in Japan. Home entrant Yuma Maruyama scored a Japanese record 8,321 at April’s Mt SAC Relays and comfortably owns the strongest mark in the expected Asian field.

Women’s Hockey - India and China

India’s group-stage match against China during last month’s World Cup ended in a 2-2 draw. | Photo Credit: HOCKEY INDIA

Sjoerd Marijne’s India will feel primed to go for gold, confident of dethroning China. There is a renewed spirit within this group, infused with a vibrant mix of youth and older heads after exceeding expectations with its disciplined World Cup showing.

India kept clean sheets against England and Australia, while conceding just six goals in matches against China, South Africa, Netherlands and Germany. In its match against China, India twice had the lead.

Alyson Annan’s team will leave no stone unturned to defend its Asian Games gold and qualify for the Los Angeles Olympics. India will have to be at its very best in case it faces China in Japan.