New Delhi: The Asian Para Games 2026 will begin with an opening ceremony in Nagoya, Japan, on October 18. Para badminton star Pramod Bhagat and sprinter Simran Sharma will be the flag-bearers for the Indian contingent. Sharma replaced table tennis player Bhavina Patel to allow her some rest ahead of her quarterfinal on October 19.
A total of around 3,000 athletes from 45 National Paralympic Committees will take part in the fifth edition of the Para Asian Games. They will participate across 18 sports as the games run until October 24. India have sent a 281-member contingent, including 168 athletes and 113 officials and support staff. 168 athletes comprise 112 men and 56 women who will feature in 11 sports. Para Athletics has the largest contingent with 62 participants, while badminton has 28.
Paralympic champions Sumit Antil, Pramod Bhagat and Avani Lekhara are some of the notable names from the contingent and they will have high expectations pinned to their shoulders ahead of the continental event.
Where will the Asian Para Games opening ceremony take place?
The curtain raiser for the continental event is scheduled to take place at the Nagoya City Mizuho Park Athletic Stadium, also known as Paloma Mizuho Stadium, in Nagoya, Japan.
The ceremony will kick off the competition, which will last seven days. The Games will be held under the motto ‘Imagine One Heart’.
When and where to watch the Asian Para Games opening ceremony?
The opening ceremony of the event will start at 2:30 PM IST on Sunday, October 18. In Japan, the curtain raiser will start at 6 PM local time.
The live streaming of the event will be shown on the FanCode app and website in India. DD Sports will show the live broadcast of the Games.
India at Asian Para Games 2022
In the previous edition held in Hangzhou, China in 2022, India won a total of 111 medals, including 29 gold, 31 silver and 51 bronze. It was the best-ever performance from the Indian contingent at the event, and the nation finished in fifth position in the medal tally, only behind China, Iran, Japan and Korea.
