The ongoing 2026 Asian Games in Aichi-Nagoya have already produced several firsts for Indian athletes. While some established names have added more medals to their Asian Games records, several competitors have reached the continental podium for the first time.
Here are five Indian athletes who have won their maiden medals in the ongoing edition.
opened her Asian Games medal account in Aichi-Nagoya with two silver medals in the women’s 10m air rifle. She first combined with Sonam Maskar and Vidarsa K Vinod to win silver in the team event before finishing second in the individual competition.
Valarivan’s individual silver came behind Japan’s Hinata Taichi, who set an Asian Games record with 253.0 points. Valarivan finished with 252.4. The two medals marked her first Asian Games podium finishes. She had previously competed at the 2018 Jakarta-Palembang Asian Games without winning a medal.
became India’s first Asian Games medallist in mixed martial arts after reaching the women’s traditional 60kg semifinals. She defeated Mongolia’s Altanchimeg Baigalmaa 2-0 in the quarterfinals to guarantee herself at least a bronze medal.
The medal was Tariyal’s first at the Asian Games. The 36-year-old had previously represented India in judo at the 2022 Commonwealth Games and in kurash at the 2023 Asian Games. MMA made its Asian Games debut in Aichi-Nagoya, making Tariyal India’s first medallist in the discipline at the Games.
Jay Meena created history by securing India’s first-ever Asian Games medal in soft tennis. The 25-year-old reached the men’s singles semifinals, guaranteeing a bronze before eventually finishing with the medal.
Meena had already won medals at the World Soft Tennis Championships and the Asian Soft Tennis Championships before arriving in Japan. He had also competed at the 2018 and 2022 Asian Games, making his 2026 medal his first Asian Games podium finish. His bronze was also India’s first medal in soft tennis at the continental event.
finally added an Asian Games medal to her collection after winning silver in the women’s 49kg weightlifting event at the Aichi-Nagoya Games.
Chanu lifted a combined 198kg, comprising 87kg in the snatch and 111kg in the clean and jerk. North Korea’s Ri Song Gum won gold with a total of 215kg, while Indonesia’s Luluk Diana Tri Wijayana took bronze with 191kg.
The silver was Chanu’s first Asian Games medal. She made her Asian Games debut at Incheon 2014, where she finished ninth, before missing the 2018 Jakarta edition due to injury. At the 2023 Hangzhou Games, she finished fourth, narrowly missing the podium.
won her first Asian Games medal, taking gold alongside Kamaljeet in the 10m air pistol mixed-team event. The Indian pair scored 484.6 in the final, setting an Asian Games record.
South Korea won silver with 478.0 points, while Iran took bronze with 415.8. The gold was also Kamaljeet’s first Asian Games medal. Singh had already collected medals at the World Cup and Asian Championships before making her Asian Games debut on the podium in Aichi-Nagoya.
These five athletes have therefore added new names to India’s list of Asian Games medallists, with their maiden podium finishes coming across shooting, athletics, mixed martial arts and soft tennis.
