Nagoya, September 18 (Daily Kiran) : Olympic medalist Manu Bhaker and shot putter Tajinderpal Singh Toor have been selected as India’s flag bearers for the opening ceremony of the Asian Games. The ceremony is scheduled to take place on Saturday at Paloma Mizuho Stadium from 2:30 PM to 4:30 PM Indian Standard Time.
The Asian Games, which will conclude on October 4, marks its 20th edition this year, featuring over 500 Indian athletes competing in 37 sports.
Manu Bhaker made history at the Paris Olympics, winning two medals. She became the first Indian athlete since independence to secure a bronze in both the 10-meter air pistol and mixed team events. Additionally, she was part of the women’s team that clinched gold in the 25-meter pistol event at the Continental Games in Hangzhou.
Toor is a two-time defending champion in shot put at the Asian Games.
The Asian Games is the largest sporting event in Asia, held every four years and organized by the Olympic Council of Asia (OCA). This edition will see participation from 45 countries and regions across 43 sports. Japan is hosting the Asian Games for the third time, having previously held the event in Tokyo in 1958 and Hiroshima in 1994.
India aims to surpass its record-breaking performance at the Hangzhou 2023 Asian Games, where it secured a total of 107 medals, including 28 golds, 38 silvers, and 41 bronzes. The Indian men’s and women’s teams are the defending champions in both cricket and kabaddi, while the men’s hockey team is also coming in as the reigning champion.
Prominent athletes leading the Indian contingent include PV Sindhu in badminton and Mirabai Chanu in weightlifting. Manu Bhaker will represent India in shooting, while Aman Seharawat will compete in wrestling, and Lovlina Borgohain will showcase her skills in boxing.
In athletics, over 75 Indian track and field athletes will participate, with notable competitors like Gulveer Singh, Tejaswin Shankar, Murali Shreeshankar, Jyoti Yarraji, and Parul Chaudhary expected to earn medals. Tajinderpal Singh Toor heads to Aichi-Nagoya as the two-time defending champion in shot put.
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