A Different Way to Judge India’s Asian Games
India finished the Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games with 85 medals, including 21 golds, fewer than its record 107-medal haul at Hangzhou. But judging the Games only by the overall tally may miss an important point: several performances in Japan could have greater significance for India’s preparation for the Los Angeles 2028 Olympics.
More Olympic-Relevant Gold Medals
India won 17 gold medals in Olympic disciplines and events at Aichi-Nagoya, compared with 12 at Hangzhou. This makes the latest Games particularly interesting from an LA28 perspective.
The quality of performances also matters. Several Indian champions emerged in sports that feature prominently in the Olympic programme, giving the country a stronger group of potential medal contenders for the next cycle.
Boxing and Shooting Offer Fresh Hope
Boxing produced three gold medals, while shooting continued to provide a strong medal base. Performances by athletes such as Lovlina Borgohain and India’s emerging shooters showed that the country has potential beyond its established Olympic stars.
The Aichi-Nagoya results could therefore help selectors and high-performance teams identify athletes who deserve greater attention during the LA28 cycle.
Archery and Wrestling Add to the Depth
India also enjoyed important successes in archery and wrestling. The compound archery teams swept all three team golds, with India also securing its first LA28 quota places through the mixed team event.
Wrestling also produced gold-medal performances, adding to India’s potential Olympic medal pool.
Hockey Gives India a Major Boost
India’s men’s and women’s hockey teams both won gold in Aichi-Nagoya. The men’s victory over Malaysia also secured India’s qualification for the LA28 Olympics, while the women’s team ended a 44-year wait for Asian Games gold.
With Olympic qualification already secured, both teams now have valuable time to work on preparation and performance before Los Angeles.
The Bigger Challenge Begins Now
The Aichi-Nagoya Games also exposed areas that need improvement. India finished with many silver medals, suggesting that several athletes are close to the top but still need to make the final step towards gold.
The focus now will have to shift towards sports science, coaching, mental conditioning and consistent international competition.
Why Nagoya Could Matter More for LA28
Aichi-Nagoya may ultimately be remembered as an important building block for India’s next Olympic campaign. While the overall medal tally fell from Hangzhou, the Games produced several performances with genuine Olympic potential.
If India can identify these athletes early and provide them with sustained support, Nagoya could prove to be more valuable for LA28 than the headline medal numbers initially suggest.