Asian Games 2026: India Names 79-Member Athletics Squad

India has finalised a 79-member athletics squad for the 2026 Asian Games, making athletics the largest contingent among all sports in the country’s delegation for the Aichi-Nagoya Games.

The Asian Games will be held across Aichi-Nagoya, Japan, from September 19 to October 4, with India’s athletics team set to compete across a wide range of track and field events.

The squad features a blend of established international performers, Asian Games contenders and emerging athletes, with India set to have representation in sprinting, middle- and long-distance running, hurdles, relays, jumps, throws, combined events and race walking. However, the 79-member list is not completely final yet.

Neeraj Chopra remains listed in the men’s javelin throw squad, but he has already been ruled out of the Asian Games. Yashvir is expected to replace him, with the final confirmation likely to come later this week.

There is also uncertainty surrounding long-distance runner Abhishek Pal. The athlete has been issued a notice by the National Anti-Doping Agency for an alleged anti-doping rule violation and has requested an early hearing. His participation in the Asian Games could therefore depend on the outcome of those proceedings.

The relay squads are another area where changes could still take place. Several athletes have been included as potential reserves, with the final 4x400m combinations expected to be decided after September 10, following the Indian Series final at the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium in New Delhi. Performances at that event are expected to influence the final selections.

The men's squad covers almost every major athletics category.

In the throws, Karanveer Singh and Tajinderpal Singh Toor are named in the shot put, while Damneet Singh and Praveen Kumar are listed for the hammer throw. Rohit Yadav joins Chopra in the javelin throw squad, although Chopra's place is expected to be taken by Yashvir.

The jumping events feature Sreeshankar and Shahnawaz Khan in the long jump, Praveen Chithravel and Karthik Unnikrishnan in the triple jump, Aadarsh Ram and Sarvesh Anil Kushare in the high jump, and Kuldeep Kumar and Dev Kumar Meena in the pole vault.

On the track, Gurindervir Singh and Animesh Kujur are named for the 100m, with Kujur also entered in the 200m. The middle- and long-distance group includes Krishan Kumar and Mohammed Afsal Pulikkalakkath in the 800m, Yoonus Shah in the 1500m, Gulveer Singh in the 1500m, 5000m and 10,000m, and Abhishek Pal in the 5000m and 10,000m.

Avinash Mukund Sable will compete in the 3000m steeplechase, while Yashas Palaksha and Santosh Kumar Tamilarasan are entered in the 400m hurdles. Tejas Ashok Shirse will compete in the 110m hurdles. The men's combined events will feature Thowfeeq Noushad and Tejaswin Shankar in the decathlon.

The relay pool includes Mohammed Ashfaq, Dharmveer Choudhary, Jay Kumar, Manu TS, Rajesh Ramesh and Vishal TK in the men's 4x400m, while Jay Kumar and Manu TS are also listed for the mixed 4x400m relay. Animesh Kujur and Pranav Pramod Gurav are part of the mixed 4x100m relay group.

The women's contingent features several familiar names, including Annu Rani, Parul Chaudhary, Jyothi Yarraji, Shaili Singh, Ancy Sojan, Kiran Pahal and Vithya Ramraj. Rani is entered in the javelin throw, while Parul will compete across the 1500m, 5000m and 3000m steeplechase.

The sprinting events feature Prachi and Kiran Pahal in the 400m, Unnathi Aiyappa and Harita Bhadra in the 200m, and a sizeable group for the 4x100m relay. Jyothi Yarraji headlines the women's 100m hurdles, while Anu Raghavan and Vithya Ramraj will compete in the 400m hurdles. The women's middle-distance group includes Pooja in the 800m and 1500m and Gowthami Jayaraman in the 800m.

The distance events include Seema in the 5000m and 10,000m, while Ankita is entered in the 3000m steeplechase. Priyanka and Manju Rani will compete in the marathon race walk.

In the field events, Shaili Singh and Ancy Sojan are entered in the long jump, while Niharika Vashisht and Asha Ilango will compete in the triple jump. Baranica Elangovan and Sindhushree G are listed in the pole vault, while Pooja and Supriya B are in the high jump.

The throws feature Annu Rani in javelin, Seema and Sanya Yadav in discus, Manpreet Kaur and Krishna Jayasankar Menon in shot put, and Tanya Chaudhary and Anushka Yadav in hammer throw.

The heptathlon will feature Pooja and Anamika K Aneesh.

With athletics providing the largest contingent, India will enter Aichi-Nagoya with medal ambitions across multiple disciplines. The squad's final composition could still change in the coming days, particularly in the javelin, long-distance running and relay events.

Complete India Athletics Squad Grouped by Gender and Discipline

MEN

100m: Gurindervir Singh, Animesh Kujur

200m: Animesh Kujur

400m: Rajesh Ramesh, Vishal TK

800m: Krishan Kumar, Mohammed Afsal Pulikkalakkath

1500m: Yoonus Shah, Gulveer Singh

5000m: Abhishek Pal, Gulveer Singh

10,000m: Abhishek Pal, Gulveer Singh

3000m Steeplechase: Avinash Mukund Sable

110m Hurdles: Tejas Ashok Shirse (Doubtful)

400m Hurdles: Yashas Palaksha, Santosh Kumar Tamilarasan

Marathon: Sawan Barwal, Kartik Jayraj Karkera

Marathon Race Walk: No men's entry listed

Long Jump: Sreeshankar, Shahnawaz Khan

Triple Jump: Praveen Chithravel, Karthik Unnikrishnan

High Jump: Aadarsh Ram, Sarvesh Anil Kushare

Pole Vault: Kuldeep Kumar, Dev Kumar Meena

Shot Put: Karanveer Singh, Tajinderpal Singh Toor

Hammer Throw: Damneet Singh, Praveen Kumar

Javelin Throw: Neeraj Chopra, Rohit Yadav (Chopra ruled out; replacement expected)

Decathlon: Thowfeeq Noushad, Tejaswin Shankar

4x400m Relay: Mohammed Ashfaq, Dharmveer Choudhary, Jay Kumar, Manu TS, Rajesh Ramesh, Vishal TK

Mixed 4x400m Relay: Jay Kumar, Manu TS

Mixed 4x100m Relay: Animesh Kujur, Pranav Pramod Gurav

WOMEN

100m Hurdles: Nandhini Kongan, Jyothi Yarraji

200m: Unnathi Aiyappa, Harita Bhadra

400m: Prachi, Kiran Pahal

800m: Pooja, Gowthami Jayaraman

1500m: Pooja, Parul Chaudhary

5000m: Seema, Parul Chaudhary

10,000m: Seema

3000m Steeplechase: Ankita, Parul Chaudhary

400m Hurdles: Anu Raghavan, Vithya Ramraj

Marathon Race Walk: Priyanka, Manju Rani

Long Jump: Shaili Singh, Ancy Sojan

Triple Jump: Niharika Vashisht, Asha Ilango

High Jump: Pooja, Supriya B

Pole Vault: Baranica Elangovan, Sindhushree G

Shot Put: Manpreet Kaur, Krishna Jayasankar Menon

Discus Throw: Seema, Sanya Yadav

Hammer Throw: Tanya Chaudhary, Anushka Yadav

Javelin Throw: Annu Rani

Heptathlon: Pooja, Anamika K Aneesh

4x100m Relay: Tamanna, Nithya Gandhe, Srabani Nanda, Abinaya Rajarajan, Sneha SS, Sudeshna Shivankar

4x400m Relay: Rashdeep Kaur, Ansa Babu, Poovamma Raju, Kumari Saloni, Neeru Pathak

Mixed 4x400m Relay: Rashdeep Kaur, Ansa Babu

Mixed 4x100m Relay: Tamanna, Sneha SS

India's 79-member athletics squad therefore combines depth across track and field with several athletes capable of challenging for Asian Games medals. The final relay combinations and replacement for Chopra could still alter the list before the team heads to Japan.