19-year-old Niharika Singhania will represent India as the only woman in the Show Jumping squad at the 2026 Asian Games in Japan. Despite challenges like her primary horse falling ill, she qualified with First to Cash Out after adapting to new international regulations requiring horses to be based in Europe.
19-year-old Niharika Singhania has qualified for the 2026 Asian Games in Japan, becoming India's only representative in Show Jumping. Despite challenges with international regulations and a horse falling ill, she secured her spot with her horse First to Cash Out, showcasing a strong international performance history.
India's javelin star Neeraj Chopra will defend his gold medal at the Asian Games in Aichi-Nagoya, Japan, from September 19 to October 4. Athletics Federation of India confirmed his participation, noting his recovery from a back injury and a strong season debut throw of 85.69m.
India's top table tennis player, Manika Batra, was excluded from the Asian Games squad due to selection criteria. Despite being World No. 51, just outside automatic qualification, her absence is controversial, with reserves named instead. The decision has sparked debate.
Several top Chinese tennis players, including Zheng Qinwen and Wang Xinyu, will miss the Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games due to a clash with major ATP and WTA tournaments in China. Wu Yibing will lead the men's team.
Siobhan Haughey concluded the Mare Nostrum Swim Tour with four golds and four silvers, showcasing strong form ahead of the Asian Games and 2028 Olympics. She won the 200m freestyle in Barcelona and broke a meet record in Canet.
China's table tennis team selection criteria for the Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games face criticism online, with differing standards for men's and women's teams based on ITTF rankings and coaching decisions.
The Olympic Council of Asia has agreed to discuss shifting the Asian Games to odd-numbered years, the year before the Summer Olympics, at a board meeting in Sanya, China. If approved, the 2030 Doha Games and 2034 Riyadh Games would move to 2031 and 2035 respectively. The 2026 Aichi-Nagoya Games remain unaffected, creating a five-year gap to the new 2031 Doha edition. The change would align the Asian Games with other continental multi-sport events and follows an IOC recommendation.
