Asian Games 2026: Top 10 Indian Women Athletes to Watch Out For

The Asian Games 2026 is set to commence on Saturday, September 19 in Aichi-Nagoya, Japan. The 20th edition of the Asian Games will bring together athletes from across the continent to compete in various sporting disciplines.

In the history of this continental tournament, India has seen some of its most legendary women athletes represent the country and win medals. From Kamaljeet Sandhu, who became the first Indian woman to win an Asian Games gold medal at the 1970 Bangkok Games, to P.T. Usha, who won four gold medals at the 1986 Seoul Games alone, the event has seen several standout performers at their peak for India.

 In this article, we will explore the top 10 Indian women athletes to watch out for at the Asian Games 2026.

Here are Top 10 Female Athletes From Indian Contingent to Watch Out For: 

1. Manu Bhaker

One of the strong contenders for a medal from the Indian shooting contingent, Manu Bhaker came into the limelight after her historic double medal breakthrough at the Paris Olympics 2024. She will be competing across multiple pistol disciplines and will be one of the key Indian shooters to watch out for at the Asian Games 2026.

• Category: Shooting - 10m Air Pistol & 25m Pistol

• Major Achievements: 2-time Olympic Bronze Medalist, Asian Games Gold Medalist

2. Jyothi Surekha Vennam

Jyothi Surekha Vennam is a talented Indian archer who has already won 3 Asian Games gold medals. She achieved the feat at the previous Asian Games in Hangzhou in 2022. Ranked among the top three in compound archery, Vennam will be one of the favourites to win the gold once again.

• Category: Archery - Women's Compound

• Major Achievements: 3-time Asian Games Gold Medalist, World Championship Gold Medalist

3. Mirabai Chanu

Mirabai Chanu is an experienced weightlifter with multiple achievements to her name, including an Olympic silver medal at Tokyo 2020 and a World Championship title. However, winning a medal at the Asian Games is still missing from her impressive career. She will be looking to finish the unfinished job at this year's tournament.

• Category: Weightlifting - 49kg

• Major Achievements: Olympic Silver Medalist, World Champion, 3-time Commonwealth Games Gold Medalist

4. Parul Chaudhary

Parul Chaudhary produced a famous double distance performance at the previous Asian Games in Hangzhou. She won gold in the 5000m and silver in the 3000m steeplechase. She will once again be one of India's key athletes in the distance running events at the Asian Games 2026.

• Category: Athletics - 5000m & 3000m Steeplechase

• Major Achievements: Asian Games Gold Medalist and Silver Medalist

5. PV Sindhu

PV Sindhu is still very much in contention for a medal, especially after her recent Japan Open title on the BWF Tour. The two-time Olympic medalist and legendary Indian badminton player will be in the spotlight as she competes at another Asian Games.

• Category: Badminton - Women's Singles & Team

• Major Achievements: 2-time Olympic Medalist, World Champion, Asian Games Silver Medalist

6. Esha Singh

Another shooter to watch out for from the Indian contingent is Esha Singh. With four Asian Games medals in Hangzhou, she will definitely be a strong contender alongside Manu Bhaker. At just 18 years old, she made headlines with 1 gold and 3 silver medals in 2022. She also holds a World Championship gold medal.

• Category: Shooting - 25m Pistol & 10m Air Pistol

• Major Achievements: 4-time Asian Games Medalist, World Championship Gold Medalist

7. Lovlina Borgohain

Lovlina came into the limelight after winning a bronze medal at the Tokyo 2020 Olympics. She is also an accomplished boxer who has transitioned into the middleweight division. Her counter-punching style can really be something to watch out for in this year's tournament. .

• Category: Boxing - 75kg

• Major Achievements: Olympic Bronze Medalist, World Champion, Asian Games Silver Medalist

8. Antim Panghal

Antim Panghal is also considered one of Asia's premier technical wrestlers in the lightweight categories. She competes in the 53kg category and made her way after defeating Asian Championship silver medalist Meenakshi Goyat in the selection trials. Her performance in the selections will be crucial.

• Category: Wrestling - 53kg Freestyle

• Major Achievements: World Championships Bronze Medalist, 2-time World Junior Champion, Asian Games Bronze Medalist

9. Jyothi Yarraji

Jyothi Yarraji is a 100m hurdles sprinter. She holds the national record in this category with a timing of 12.78 seconds. She is also one of the top-seeded athletes coming into the Asian Games 2026 and a strong contender for a medal in athletics for India.

• Category: Athletics - 100m Hurdles

• Major Achievements: Asian Games Silver Medalist, Asian Champion, National Record Holder

10. Harmanpreet Kaur

Harmanpreet Kaur led India to the Asian Games 2022 gold medal in Hangzhou, and she also recently led India to the Women's Asia Cup 2026 title, with a dominant performance across the tournament. With similar teams where India will be facing Harmanpreet's side, she will be one of India's strongest contenders for another Asian Games gold medal in cricket.

• Category: Cricket - Women's T20

• Major Achievements: Asian Games Gold Medalist, Women's Asia Cup 2026 Champion, Commonwealth Games Silver Medalist