Asian Games 2023 : India’s full schedule and important dates.

Asian Games 2023 : Hangzhou, the People’s Republic of China, is gearing up to host the 19th edition of the Asian Games, set to take place from September 23 to October 8, 2023. With a formidable contingent of 655 Indian athletes, this sporting extravaganza promises to be a magnificent display of skill, determination, and sportsmanship.

Fresh from their outstanding performance in the 2018 Asian Games, India’s athletes are poised to achieve even greater heights in Hangzhou. Competing in a remarkable 41 out of the 61 available disciplines, they will be vying for a total of 481 gold medals.

The Asian Games will officially commence with the grand opening ceremony on September 23, marking the commencement of this prestigious sporting event. However, cricket, football, volleyball, and beach volleyball will kick off slightly earlier, starting on September 19.

Notably, both the Indian men’s and women’s cricket teams will make their debut at the Asian Games. The women’s cricket team will commence their journey on September 21, with the final match slated for September 25. Men’s cricket action gets underway on September 27, concluding with the final on October 7. The Indian men’s team will begin their campaign on October 3.

Athletics will take center stage with an impressive contingent of 68 Indian athletes. The charismatic Olympic javelin champion, Neeraj Chopra, will be India’s flagbearer at the Asian Games. As the reigning world champion, he aims to replicate his gold medal-winning performance from Jakarta in 2018. Athletics events are scheduled from September 29 to October 5, with the men’s javelin throw final set for October 4.

Neeraj Chopra is among the five Olympic medalists from India who will be showcasing their prowess at Hangzhou. Joining him are badminton sensation PV Sindhu, a two-time Olympic medalist, as well as boxer Lovlina Borgohain, wrestler Bajrang Punia, and weightlifter Mirabai Chanu. The Indian men’s hockey team, bronze medalists at the Tokyo 2020 Olympics, is also gearing up for action.

Badminton events at the Asian Games 2023 will unfold from September 28 to October 7. PV Sindhu will lead a formidable 19-member Indian team, including Commonwealth Games champion Lakshya Sen and HS Prannoy, who recently secured a bronze at the BWF World Championships.

Mirabai Chanu, the silver medalist from Tokyo 2020 and a former world champion, will make her debut in the women’s 49 kg weightlifting division on September 30. On October 6, fans can look forward to the high-octane performance of Tokyo Olympics bronze medalist Bajrang Punia, who will defend his title in the men’s 65kg freestyle wrestling category.

Boxing at the Asian Games 2023 carries significant weight as it serves as a qualifier for the Paris Olympics next year. Reigning world champion Nikhat Zareen begins her campaign on September 24 in the women’s 50kg, while Lovlina Borgohain steps into the ring on September 26 in the women’s 75kg. The boxing events will culminate on October 5.

The hockey competitions at the Asian Games 2023 also hold the key to securing a spot in the Paris 2024 Olympics. The Indian hockey teams are determined to secure early tickets to the Summer Games by clinching gold in Hangzhou. The men’s hockey event starts a day before the opening ceremony, while the Indian women’s hockey team commences their campaign on September 25.

Among the other standout Indian athletes to watch out for at Hangzhou 2023 are hurdler Jyothi Yarraji, steeplechaser Avinash Sable, long jumper Murali Sreeshankar, former Asian champion boxer Shiva Thapa, table tennis stars Manika Batra and Sharath Kamal, and chess prodigy R Praggnanandhaa.

Originally scheduled for 2022, the 19th Asian Games were postponed to 2023 due to the COVID-19 pandemic in China last year. In the 2018 Asian Games held in Jakarta, Indonesia, India sent 570 athletes and achieved a record-breaking tally of 70 medals, including an impressive haul of 16 gold medals, marking a historic milestone in the country’s Asian Games history.

Asian Games 2023 schedule