AICHI-NAGOYA: India’s quest for glory at the 2026 Asian Games began with a flurry of activity and precision, as the contingent opened its medal account on Sunday with two silver medals, both secured in the women’s 10m air rifle competition. While the shooting range provided the initial breakthrough, the opening day proved to be a multifaceted display of Indian athletic prowess, featuring historic MMA advancements, emphatic hockey masterclasses, and a dominant cricket performance.
Elavenil Valarivan leads shooting charge
The day’s standout narrative belonged to Elavenil Valarivan, whose resilience was on full display. Valarivan first partnered with Sonam Uttam Maskar and debutant Vidarsa Vinod to clinch silver in the women’s 10m air rifle team event. She followed this up with a gritty performance in the individual final, shooting 252.4.
For the 27-year-old, the individual silver was a personal milestone, marking her first-ever podium finish in three Asian Games appearances. While she maintained a lead for the majority of the final, a trio of uncharacteristic loose shots in the closing stages allowed Japan’s Hinata Taichi to surge ahead. Taichi claimed gold with an Asian Games record of 253.0, finishing just 0.6 points ahead of the Indian star. South Korea’s Ban Hyojin rounded out the podium with a bronze. Following a record-breaking haul in Hangzhou, these two silvers provide a stellar momentum-setter for India’s shooting squad.
Suchika assures historic MMA medal
In a landmark moment for the sport, MMA made its official debut at the Aichi-Nagoya Games, and India ensured its name would be etched into the record books. 36-year-old Suchika Tariyal delivered a clinical performance to dismantle Mongolia’s Altanchimeg Baigalmaa 2-0 in the women’s traditional 60kg quarterfinal.
By advancing to the semifinals, Tariyal has officially guaranteed India at least a bronze medal, a significant feat for an athlete who transitioned from judo only in 2024. Her success comes after a dominant run at the national level and consistent performances at the Asian Mixed Martial Arts Championships earlier this year. However, the day was not without frustration for the discipline, as Varun Sanyal was ruled medically unfit to compete following an unfortunate incident during a sauna session at the team’s accommodation.
Shafali Verma powers cricket team to final
India’s women cricketers signaled their intent to defend their Asian Games title with a ruthless display against Bangladesh in the semifinals. The victory, a commanding 114-run triumph, was anchored by a spectacular century from Shafali Verma, who blazed her way to a maiden T20I ton off just 49 balls.
Supported by Smriti Mandhana (37) and captain Harmanpreet Kaur (40), India posted a daunting 195/4. The bowling unit was equally clinical, skittling Bangladesh for a mere 81 runs in 15.4 overs. Nandani Sharma and Deepti Sharma were the architects of the collapse, taking three wickets each. India will now face Sri Lanka in Tuesday’s gold-medal clash, a rematch of the previous edition’s final.
Hockey teams dominate the pitch
India’s hockey squads sent an ominous message to their rivals with a staggering combined total of 32 goals on Day 1. The women’s team launched their campaign with a 19-0 demolition of Uzbekistan, fueled by an extraordinary eight-goal haul from Deepika Sehrawat. Not to be outdone, the men’s team showcased their own offensive firepower with a 13-1 victory over Indonesia. Dilpreet Singh was the primary protagonist for the men, finding the back of the net four times in a match where India’s dominance remained total from start to finish.
Shuttlers and paddlers: A mixed bag
On the badminton courts, India’s women’s team eased past Kazakhstan with a 3-0 sweep. The squad, anchored by the experience of PV Sindhu alongside youngsters Unnati Hooda and Tanvi Sharma, did not drop a single game throughout the tie. This victory sets up a challenging quarterfinal showdown against tournament hosts Japan.
Table tennis, however, proved a tale of two extremes. The women’s team overcame a 1-2 deficit to pull off a gutsy 3-2 comeback victory over Singapore, with Yashaswini Ghorpade clinching the decisive fifth match. Conversely, the men’s team faced a stark reality check, falling 0-3 to Iran, with Manush Shah, Manav Thakkar, and Harmeet Desai all unable to secure points. Both teams are now looking to regroup ahead of their upcoming tie against Pakistan.
Teqball heartbreak and aquatic challenges
The day held a bittersweet tone for Quimcy D’Souza in teqball. Competing in two high-stakes bronze-medal matches within the span of five minutes, D’Souza faced agonizing near-misses in both. She pushed world No. 7 Yuina Sakamoto to 11-12, 11-12 in the singles before narrowly dropping the mixed doubles encounter 0-2 alongside partner Mohamed Anas Beg.
In the pool, Rishabh Das recorded a respectable sixth-place finish in the men’s 100m backstroke final, while Wushu saw mixed results with Suraj Singh Mayanglambam finishing 11th in the men’s changquan. Despite some individual setbacks, India ends the opening day of the Aichi-Nagoya Games with a clear sense of purpose, having secured two silvers, an assured medal in MMA, and multiple paths cleared toward further gold.
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