Shooter Manu Bhaker and shot-putter Tajinder Pal Singh Toor will be India’s flag-bearers at the Asian Games 2026 opening ceremony on September 19, it was confirmed on Friday.
India’s Chef de Mission Sahdev Yadav announced Bhaker’s selection, while the Athletics Federation of India confirmed Toor’s development.
Speaking of Bhaker, she made history at the 2024 Paris Olympics by becoming the first athlete from independent India to win two medals in a single edition of the Games. On the other hand, Toor has won gold medals at the Asian Games in the past two editions.
Both Bhaker and Toor are among the strongest medal prospects for India at the 2026 Asian Games, which officially get underway on September 19 in Aichi-Nagoya, Japan.
Earlier, Neeraj Chopra pulled out of the Asian Games after picking up an injury, and India received a body blow ahead of the premier continental competition.
India’s Asian Games campaign begins
India’s campaign at the Asian Games has gotten off to a wonderful start as Quimcy Dsouza is just one more win away from securing India’s first-ever medal in teqball.
The 24-year-old topped Group B in the women’s singles competition, earning a direct passage into the semifinals as teqball made its debut at the Asian Games.
Dsouza had to dig deep in her opening encounter against Japan’s Yuina Sakamoto. She was considerably more comfortable in her second group match, defeating Koemyean Dy. The result secured top spot in the group and, with it, a quarterfinal bye.
Dsouza will now return to action on Saturday with a place on the podium within reach. She will take on Indonesia’s Sumaya in the semifinals, knowing victory would guarantee India a historic medal in the sport.
Even a semifinal defeat will leave Dsouza with another opportunity to finish on the podium. She would then play the loser of the other last-four clash between Myanmar’s Wai Khin Hin and Lebanon’s Kamar Dandal in Sunday’s bronze medal match.