With the 18th Asian Games in Jakarta and Palembang set to kick off this weekend, we look at India at the Asian Games since the inception of continental multi-sport event in 1951:
With the 18th Asian Games in Jakarta and Palembang set to kick off this weekend, we look at India at the Asian Games since the inception of continental multi-sport event in 1951:
1. Indian sportsmen at the inauguration ceremony of Asian Games 1951
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When the Asian Federation was established in 1949, India was among the first five founding members along with Afghanistan, Burma, Pakistan, and the Philippines. PC: Wikimedia Commons
2. India have hosted the Asian Games twice
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India hosted the inaugural Asian Games in 1951 and New Delhi was the host city. India has hosted the event twice so far (1951 and 1982). The other countries that have hosted the Asiad two or more times are Thailand (1966, 1970, 1978 and 1998), China (1990, 2020 and 2022), Japan (1958 and 1994), South Korea (1986 and 2002). Indonesia (1962) is set to join the list as the upcoming 2018 edition will be the second time they will be the hosts. PC: OCA
3. Sachin Nag - India's first Asian Games gold medallist
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India clinched 51 medals in the inaugural edition of the Asian Games, finishing second behind Japan (60 medals). Out of India’s 51 medals, 15 were gold, 16 silver, and 20 bronze. Sachin Nag, 100m freestyle swimmer, was India’s first-ever gold medallist at the continental multi-sport event. PC: Pinterest
4. India's consistent great shows at Asiad
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The Indian contingents have consistently finished inside top 10 at the Asian Games. So far, it has been only once when they could not make it inside top 10 – 1990 Beijing Asian Games – where they had managed just the 11th position. PC: PTI
5. India's best year at Asian Games
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India’s best edition still has remained the 2010 Asian Games at Guangzhou, China. India had clinched 65 medals – 14 gold, 17 silver and 34 bronze – and finished sixth on the table. PC: PTI
6. India's best category
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India’s most successful category has been athletics, in which India have won 233 medals so far – 71 gold, 77 silver and 84 bronze – followed by wrestling (56 medals) and boxing (55 medals). PC: PTI
7. India's target for Asian Games 2018
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There are nine sports in which India have not won a medal yet and that includes badminton, a sport where India's improvement has been massive in the last few years. The likes of PV Sindhu, Saina Nehwal, and Kidambi Srikanth will look to change this record in the upcoming Asian Games in Jakarta. PC: PTI
8. India have competed in all the editions
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India is one of the only seven countries that have competed in all the editions of the Asian Games. The other six are Indonesia, Japan, the Philippines, Sri Lanka, Singapore, and Thailand. PC: PTI
9. India's medal talley
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Prior to the 18th edition, India at Asian Games so far – 600 medals – Gold: 138, Silver: 177 and Bronze: 285. PC: PTI
