{"id":26214,"date":"2026-09-19T11:00:05","date_gmt":"2026-09-19T11:00:05","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/koshalsambada.in\/?p=26214"},"modified":"2026-09-19T11:00:05","modified_gmt":"2026-09-19T11:00:05","slug":"all-my-best-wishes-neeraj-chopra-backs-team-india-as-asian-games-2026-get-underway-asian-games-2026-news","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/koshalsambada.in\/?p=26214","title":{"rendered":"\u2018All my best wishes\u2019: Neeraj Chopra backs Team India as Asian Games 2026 get underway | Asian Games 2026 News"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><br \/>\n<\/p>\n<div>\n<div class=\"e9jwa\">\n<div class=\"vdo_embedd\">\n<div class=\"GfdvZ\">\n<section class=\"_bIDB  clearfix id-r-component leadmedia undefined undefined  E9tg9 \" style=\"top:0px\">\n<div class=\"_bIDB\" data-ua-type=\"1\" onclick=\"stpPgtnAndPrvntDefault(event)\">\n<div class=\"ypVvZ\">\n<div class=\"WGttI\"><img src=\"https:\/\/static.toiimg.com\/thumb\/msid-134352510,imgsize-1441543,width-400,height-225,resizemode-4\/neeraj-chopra.jpg\" alt=\"\u2018All my best wishes\u2019: Neeraj Chopra backs Team India as Asian Games 2026 get underway\" title=\"Neeraj Chopra\" decoding=\"async\" fetchpriority=\"high\"\/><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/section>\n<\/div><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p>NEW DELHI: Olympic champion <a href=\"https:\/\/timesofindia.indiatimes.com\/topic\/neeraj-chopra\" styleobj=\"[object Object]\" class=\"\" commonstate=\"[object Object]\" frmappuse=\"1\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Neeraj Chopra<\/a> on Saturday sent his best wishes to the Indian contingent as the 20th Asian Games officially got underway in Aichi-Nagoya, Japan, expressing confidence that the athletes would make the country proud.<span class=\"id-r-component br\" data-pos=\"4\"\/>Chopra, who will miss the continental showpiece after an ankle ligament injury ended his 2026 season, took to X to send his message to the Indian athletes as the Games began with a colourful opening ceremony.<span class=\"id-r-component br\" data-pos=\"6\"\/><span class=\"id-r-component br\" data-pos=\"8\"\/>\u201cAll my best wishes to <a href=\"https:\/\/timesofindia.indiatimes.com\/topic\/team-india\" styleobj=\"[object Object]\" class=\"\" commonstate=\"[object Object]\" frmappuse=\"1\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Team India<\/a> at the Asian Games 2026! I\u2019m sure they will all make us proud.\u201d<span class=\"id-r-component br\" data-pos=\"12\"\/>The Asian Games are being held from September 19 to October 4, with India competing across multiple disciplines and looking to build on its record medal haul from the previous edition.<span class=\"id-r-component br\" data-pos=\"16\"\/><span class=\"id-r-component br\" data-pos=\"18\"\/><\/p>\n<p><h2>Chopra misses Games but backs Indian contingent<\/h2>\n<\/p>\n<p><span class=\"id-r-component br\" data-pos=\"20\"\/>Two-time Asian Games gold medallist Chopra won javelin gold at the Tokyo 2020 Olympics and followed it with silver at the Paris 2024 Olympics. His absence is a significant one for India&#8217;s athletics campaign after the 28-year-old suffered an ankle ligament injury during a training session.<span class=\"id-r-component br\" data-pos=\"22\"\/>While Chopra will not be able to defend his Asian Games title, his message came as the Indian contingent began its campaign at Aichi-Nagoya.<span class=\"id-r-component br\" data-pos=\"25\"\/>Olympic medallist <a href=\"https:\/\/timesofindia.indiatimes.com\/topic\/manu-bhaker\" styleobj=\"[object Object]\" class=\"\" commonstate=\"[object Object]\" frmappuse=\"1\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Manu Bhaker<\/a> and kabaddi star Pawan Sehrawat led the Indian contingent at Saturday&#8217;s opening ceremony. Bhaker, a double bronze medallist at the Paris Olympics, will compete in the women&#8217;s 10m air pistol, women&#8217;s 25m pistol and 10m air pistol mixed team events.<span class=\"id-r-component br\" data-pos=\"29\"\/>Ahead of the ceremony, Bhaker also reflected on being chosen as a flag bearer.<span class=\"id-r-component br\" data-pos=\"31\"\/>\u201cHonestly, when I found out yesterday, I had all these flashback memories of my earlier days. <!-- -->And, you know, when I started, I never thought that this was where I could reach one day in my sport. So, it is definitely a very heartwarming feeling. I feel really proud, really honoured, and really, really happy to be chosen as the flag bearer for my country. I just want to say thank you to God and thank you to everyone for all the love and support,\u201d she said.<span class=\"id-r-component br\" data-pos=\"36\"\/><span class=\"strong\" data-ua-type=\"1\" onclick=\"stpPgtnAndPrvntDefault(event)\">ALSO READ:<\/span> <a href=\"https:\/\/timesofindia.indiatimes.com\/sports\/asian-games-2026\/the-peaks-are-higher-the-floor-is-rising-how-indias-asian-games-medal-story-has-changed-over-two-decades\/articleshow\/134323671.cms\" styleobj=\"[object Object]\" class=\"\" commonstate=\"[object Object]\" frmappuse=\"1\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">How India\u2019s Asian Games medal story has changed over two decades<\/a><span class=\"id-r-component br\" data-pos=\"40\"\/><\/p>\n<p><h2>India looks to build on record Asian Games campaign<\/h2>\n<\/p>\n<p><span class=\"id-r-component br\" data-pos=\"42\"\/>The opening ceremony at the Mizuho Park Athletic Stadium formally marked the start of the Games, with Japan&#8217;s Emperor Naruhito declaring the event open.<span class=\"id-r-component br\" data-pos=\"45\"\/>The athletes&#8217; parade featured contingents from 45 nations and the OCA Refugee Team. Sehrawat replaced shot-putter Tajinderpal Singh Toor as India&#8217;s flag bearer after Toor did not receive his ceremonial kit in time.<span class=\"id-r-component br\" data-pos=\"47\"\/>India is looking to improve on its best-ever Asian Games performance at Hangzhou in 2023, where it won 106 medals, including 28 gold, 38 silver and 40 bronze.<span class=\"id-r-component br\" data-pos=\"49\"\/>Some competitions had already begun before the opening ceremony. India&#8217;s women&#8217;s cricket team reached the semifinals after defeating hosts Japan by eight wickets, while Quimcy D&#8217;Souza remained in contention for a teqball bronze after losing her women&#8217;s singles semifinal.<span class=\"id-r-component br\" data-pos=\"51\"\/>The Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games will feature around 11,000 athletes competing across 43 sports for 469 gold medals, with the closing ceremony scheduled for October 4.<\/div>\n<p><br \/>\n<br \/><a href=\"https:\/\/timesofindia.indiatimes.com\/sports\/asian-games-2026\/all-my-best-wishes-neeraj-chopra-backs-team-india-as-asian-games-2026-get-underway\/articleshow\/134352393.cms\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Source link <\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>NEW DELHI: Olympic champion Neeraj Chopra on Saturday sent his best wishes to the Indian contingent as the 20th Asian Games officially got underway in Aichi-Nagoya, Japan, expressing confidence that the athletes would make the country proud.Chopra, who will miss the continental showpiece after an ankle ligament injury ended his 2026 season, took to X [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":26215,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[31],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-26214","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-31"],"magazineBlocksPostFeaturedMedia":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/koshalsambada.in\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/neeraj-chopra.jpg","medium":"https:\/\/koshalsambada.in\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/neeraj-chopra.jpg","medium_large":"https:\/\/koshalsambada.in\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/neeraj-chopra.jpg","large":"https:\/\/koshalsambada.in\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/neeraj-chopra.jpg","1536x1536":"https:\/\/koshalsambada.in\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/neeraj-chopra.jpg","2048x2048":"https:\/\/koshalsambada.in\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/neeraj-chopra.jpg","blogsy-small":"https:\/\/koshalsambada.in\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/neeraj-chopra.jpg","blogsy-small-tall":"https:\/\/koshalsambada.in\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/neeraj-chopra.jpg","blogsy-small-square":"https:\/\/koshalsambada.in\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/neeraj-chopra.jpg","blogsy-small-masonry":"https:\/\/koshalsambada.in\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/neeraj-chopra.jpg","blogsy-medium":"https:\/\/koshalsambada.in\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/neeraj-chopra.jpg","blogsy-medium-masonry":"https:\/\/koshalsambada.in\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/neeraj-chopra.jpg","blogsy-large":"https:\/\/koshalsambada.in\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/neeraj-chopra.jpg","blogsy-wide":"https:\/\/koshalsambada.in\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/neeraj-chopra.jpg"},"magazineBlocksPostAuthor":{"name":"admin","avatar":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/8709732a479614e7a8aa24d3eb1b239f30dc6d90c61464ed495001e7a469d856?s=96&d=mm&r=g"},"magazineBlocksPostCommentsNumber":"0","magazineBlocksPostExcerpt":"NEW DELHI: Olympic champion Neeraj Chopra on Saturday sent his best wishes to the Indian contingent as the 20th Asian Games officially got underway in Aichi-Nagoya, Japan, expressing confidence that the athletes would make the country proud.Chopra, who will miss the continental showpiece after an ankle ligament injury ended his 2026 season, took to X [&hellip;]","magazineBlocksPostCategories":["\u0b26\u0b47\u0b36 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