India's Largest Contingent At Asian Games Promises A Rich Haul Of Medals In Hangzhou

Having produced their best-ever showing at Asian Games 2018, Indian athletes will look to build on that success at Asian Games 2022, held in Hangzhou, China, from September 23 to October 8. Originally slated for September 2022, the 19th edition of the Asian Games was postponed to 2023 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

The Asian Games in Hangzhou will be the 19th edition of the continental multi-sport showpiece. The quadrennial event will see 61 sporting disciplines being organised across 56 venues. India is sending their largest-ever contingent at the Asian Games with 650 athletes slated to compete in 41 disciplines.
This marks a significant increase from the 570 athletes who represented the nation in the previous edition held in Jakarta in 2018. India's remarkable performance in Jakarta saw them clinch a total of 70 medals, including a stellar haul of 16 gold medals, making it India's most successful outing at the Asian Games.
Notably, the largest segment of India's contingent will participate in athletics, with 68 athletes. Athletics has proven to be India's most productive sport at the Asian Games. India have won a total of 254 medals in track and field events – the most in any sport since the inaugural edition was held in New Delhi back in 1951.

Olympic Champion Neeraj Chopra will be India’s face of the Asian Games. The 25-year-old Indian star will look to replicate his performance from Jakarta 2018, where he claimed gold. Neeraj recently topped the podium at the World Athletics Championship in Budapest, marking India’s first gold at the marquee event.
Neeraj Chopra will be accompanied by Reliance Foundation (RF) HPC athlete Kishore Kumar Jena in the Javelin Throw. Kishore will look to make a mark at the Asian Games following his impressive performance at the World Athletics Championships in Budapest, where he finished fifth with a throw of 84.77m.
As many as 19 Reliance Foundation athletes are set to take part in Hangzhou 2023 in different sports.

Jyothi Yarraji will be competing in three events - women’s 100m hurdles, women’s 200m and women’s 4x100m relay. Jyothi was crowned the Asian champion in July and clinched a bronze medal at the World University Games with a national record timing of 12.78s in 100m hurdles. She will be determined to make a good first impression on her Asian Games debut.
Amlan Borgohain will showcase his speed in the men’s 200m and men’s 4x100m relay. The rapid sprinter holds India’s national record in 100m and 200m races.
Jinson Johnson, who won the gold medal in Men’s 1500m in Jakarta 2018, will eye another gold medal this time. Steeplechaser Avinash Sable, a Commonwealth Games silver medallist, is also in the fray.
Runners Mohammed Afsal, Karthik Kumar and Gulveer Singh, supported by Reliance Foundation, are included in the Indian athletics squad for the Asian Games.
Tokyo Olympic bronze medallist Lovlina Borgohain, who won the gold medal at the World Boxing Championships in New Delhi earlier this year, will lead India’s challenge in boxing along with two-time world champion Nikhat Zareen and former Asian Champion Shiva Thapa. However, it will be Lovlina and Nikhat’s first appearance at Asian Games. Boxing events at Asian Games 2023 are also qualifying events for the Paris 2024 Olympics.

The Indian contingent at the Asian Games also includes an array of Olympic medallists and Commonwealth Games champions.
PV Sindhu will be another gold medal contender for India at Hangzhou. The former world champion shuttler claimed silver at Jakarta 2018 and will look to go one step further this time. Sindhu is a two-time Olympic medallist, having won silver at Rio 2016 and bronze at Tokyo 2020.
Commonwealth Games champion Lakshya Sen and HS Prannoy, who won bronze at the BWF World Championships last month, along with world No. 2 doubles team of Satwiksairaj Rankireddy-Chirag Shetty will lead India’s challenge in the Men’s events.
Former junior world No. 1 Anupama Upadhyay and Dhruv Kapila are a couple of our badminton players who will be in action in Hangzhou.
Weightlifter Mirabai Chanu will eye her first medal at the Asian Games after pulling out of Jakarta 2018 due to injury. Mirabai is an Olympic silver medalist, former world champion and two-time Commonwealth Games champion. She will be one of India’s top contenders for gold.
Manika Batra, India’s top female table tennis player will be competing in the women’s singles and mixed doubles events. Batra had won a bronze in mixed doubles at the Asian Games in Jakarta 2018. Table tennis stars Sharad Kamal and G Sathiyan will also aim to achieve glory as they aim to better their previous performances.
Some of our other athletes who will be competing in Hangzhou 2023 are archers Simranjeet Kaur, Mrinal Chauhanm Tushar Shelke and shooters Palak Gulia and Ganemat Sekhon.
Additionally, some other top stars who will be vying for podium finishes include Olympic bronze medalist wrestler Bajrang Punia, Antim Panghal, an U20 World Champion in Women’s 53kg Wrestling, and Vicky, who will represent India in Men’s Freestyle 97kg.
Youngster Rameshbabu Praggnanandhaa will be India’s best bet in Chess.
The men’s and women’s hockey teams, meanwhile, will look to seal a spot at next year’s Olympics with gold medals at the Asian Games. Harmanpreet Singh and Savita Punia will lead the Indian men’s hockey and women’s hockey teams, respectively.
In a historic first, the Indian men’s and women’s cricket team will make their debut at the Asian Games. Ruturaj Gaikwad will captain the men’s side, whereas Smriti Mandhana will lead the women at the start of the tournament. All eyes will be on both sides as they aim to return home having achieved glory.
The 19th edition of the Asian Games in Hangzhou is already proving to be a historic one for India, with the country taking their biggest-ever contingent. Asian Games Hangzhou 2022 will be a golden opportunity for India to get their highest ever medal tally at the Asian Games, with medal contenders across the board.