Chance for Neeraj Chopra-led India to showcase its sporting prowess at Asian Games

With the Asian Games starting on September 23 officially, it is expected that the strong Indian contingent led by Neeraj Chopra will put up a good and valiant show at the games which was scheduled to be held in 2022 was delayed due to COVID-19

India is fielding a jumbo contingent of around 650 athletes at the Asian Games in Hangzhou. Although the event officially commences on September 23, having been postponed from 2022 due to the COVID-19 pandemic, some competitions started from September 19. It presents a valuable opportunity to gauge India’s performance against top Asian competitors, just 10 months ahead of the Paris Olympics.

Historically, India tends to excel in the Asian Games, accumulating a significant medal count, but struggles to replicate this success on the global Olympic stage. In the previous cycle, India secured 70 medals (16 gold, 23 silver, and 31 bronze) in 36 sports at the Asian Games, yet managed only seven medals (1 G, 2 S, and 4 B) across 18 sports at the subsequent Tokyo Olympics. In the cycle before that, India won 57 medals (28 sports) in Incheon and followed it up with just two medals (15 sports) at the Rio Olympics.

India’s performance at the Hangzhou Asian Games, where it will compete in 38 disciplines, offers a glimpse into its Olympic prospects. While securing silver or bronze at the Asian Games is commendable, it doesn’t necessarily translate into podium success at the Olympics. The journey from continental excellence to global supremacy is fraught with challenges.

Take, for example, the women’s 100m hurdles, where Jyothi Yarraji is a strong contender for gold. Her rivalry with Japan’s Mako Fukube — second to Fukube among the fastest hurdlers in Asia — is intense, yet Yarraji’s impressive season-best time of 12.78 seconds places her 40th in the world rankings, underscoring the global competition’s intensity.

However, as history has shown, an athlete’s best performance on the day can propel them to Olympic glory, even if their season performance falls short. Neeraj Chopra’s Olympic gold in Tokyo is a prime example. His throw of 86.79m was only the sixth-best that year, yet he clinched gold with a remarkable 87.58m, while his competitor Johannes Vetter, known for consistent 90m-plus throws, could only manage 82.52m in the final.

India is expected to contest for gold in approximately eight of the 26 events at the Hangzhou Asian Games, where over 110 gold medals are up for grabs. Notably, in chess, eSports, squash, kabaddi, compound archery, bridge, and cricket, India boasts strong contenders, even though these events are not part of the Olympic program.

India’s top contender across various disciplines is javelin thrower Neeraj Chopra. He is the reigning Olympic and world champion and has consistently secured gold at different levels of competition. In the upcoming Asian Games, Chopra, aiming to defend his title, is expected to be the frontrunner. However, he will approach this competition cautiously, as he is also scheduled to participate in the Diamond League final just two weeks before the Asian Games.