India plans to send 700 athletes for Asian Games

NEW DELHI: India is planning to send its largest-ever contingent to the upcoming Asian Games in Japan in Sept. Over 700 Indian athletes are expected to compete in more than 40 disciplines at the Aichi-Nagoya continental event scheduled from Sept 19 to Oct 4. In the last Asian Games in Hangzhou in 2023, India fielded 655 athletes across 40 events. The athletics contingent alone had sent 68 athletes. In Jakarta 2018, India sent a contingent of 570 athletes who competed in 36 disciplines.On Thursday, sports minister Mansukh Mandaviya chaired a meeting with Sports Authority of India (SAI) officials reviewed India’s preparations for the Asiad. The aim is to surpass the country’s previous edition tally of 106 medals through strategic planning and coordination across all stakeholders. Officials highlighted that the Aichi-Nagoya Asiad follows a unique five cluster competition model, with athletes competing across multiple prefectures rather than staying in a single Olympic village-style accommodation. Venues are spread across clusters such as Aichi, Gifu, Shizuoka and the Airport-Expo zone. The focus is on travel, logistics, medical support and athlete recovery.To help athletes familiarise with the container-style living arrangements expected during the Games, special makeshift container units have been installed at SAI regional centres in Patiala and Bengaluru. “This measure will help athletes adapt early and avoid distractions during competition. The athletes would initially be asked to spend a night in containers to get a feel of how the actual accommodation during the Games would be,” a ministry official said.For the Asiad, Japan has replaced the concept of a traditional Games Village with accommodation in a luxury cruise ship, the Costa Serena. They have converted shipping containers to cut costs. The cruise ship will be docked at Kinjo Pier in Nagoya Port and house around 4600 athletes and staff while another 2400 participants will stay in temporary shelters made from shipping containers.Thursday’s meeting also reviewed a four-day recce by an IOA delegation in Jan which inspected key competition venues, athlete facilities and logistics infrastructure in Japan.