between Neeraj Chopra and Arshad Nadeem could provide a marquee moment, while the event will formally pass the hosting baton to India for the 2030 edition.
Asian Games and the Weight of Expectation
The Asian Games in Japan will pose a different challenge. After India’s record-breaking 107-medal haul at Hangzhou, expectations will be heavier. Track and field athletes and shooters — who contributed nearly half of that tally — will face intense scrutiny.
Individual narratives will shape the Games: Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty’s comeback in badminton, Mirabai Chanu’s fight against injury in pursuit of an elusive Asian Games medal, and Vinesh Phogat’s return amid institutional tensions. These stories reflect a sporting ecosystem that is both ambitious and under strain.
An In-Between Year with Lasting Impact
Viewed in isolation, 2025 may seem like a holding pattern. In reality, it was a year of consolidation and preparation. Women’s sport asserted itself as India’s most reliable global asset. Cricket began a difficult but necessary transition. Administrators and athletes alike braced for an unprecedented cascade of events.
If 2025 offered reassurance, 2026 will demand results. Verdicts will be delivered — on leadership, systems, resilience and ambition. Indian sport enters that storm not without flaws, but with greater depth, confidence and expectation than ever before.
Month: Current Affairs - January 02, 2026
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