Asian Games: Sooryavanshi was India's youngest medallist; who was the oldest?

Vaibhav Sooryavanshi and Mairaj Ahmad Khan

The Asian Games 2026 took place in Aichi-Nagoya, Japan, from September 19 to October 4, with athletes from 46 nations competing across various sports. India finished fourth in the medal table with 85 medals, including 21 golds, 27 silvers and 37 bronzes.India enjoyed several memorable performances, with the men’s and women’s teams winning gold medals in cricket, kabaddi and hockey. It was also the first time both Indian hockey teams won gold at the same Asian Games.Among the standout individual performers was 17-year-old archer Kumkum Mohod, who became the first Indian woman to win individual recurve gold.

She finished the Games with two golds and a silver. Pranavi Urs also created history by winning India’s first individual golf gold, while Neeru Dhanda became the country’s first women’s trap shooting gold medallist.

Vaibhav becomes India’s youngest medallist

At just 15, Vaibhav Sooryavanshi became India’s youngest-ever Asian Games gold medallist. The teenage batting sensation was part of the Indian men’s cricket team that defeated Pakistan by 19 runs in the final to win gold.Sooryavanshi made an aggressive start, hitting two consecutive sixes, before Saim Ayub dismissed him for 15 off nine balls. Despite his early exit, India went on to win the final and secure a memorable gold medal.

Mairaj makes history at 50

Two-time Olympian Mairaj Ahmad Khan became India’s oldest medallist at the 2026 Asian Games at the age of 50. He won bronze as part of the men’s skeet shooting team alongside Anantjeet Singh Naruka and Bhavtegh Singh Gill.Khan has competed internationally for more than 20 years and is a three-time ISSF World Cup gold medallist. However, the bronze in Aichi-Nagoya was his first Asian Games medal.Overall, Japan’s 11-year-old eSports player Yuki Kurihara became the youngest gold medallist in Asian Games history after winning the Puyo Puyo Champions title. Kuwait’s 63-year-old shooter Abdullah Al-Rashidi was the oldest medallist overall, winning silver in men’s skeet.