Asian Games Opening Ceremony live: Shooter Manu Bhaker and kabaddi player Pawan Sehrawat will lead the Indian contingent out at the athletes' parade.

The 20th Asian Games will officially open in Nagoya shortly with the Opening Ceremony, where Manu Bhaker and Pawan Sehrawat will lead the Indian contingent out at the athletes’ parade. The organisers of the Aichi-Nagoya Games are already on the defensive after a string of operational gaffes and logistical problems in the lead-up to the Games.

India too were forced into making a last-minute change with Sehrawat replacing Tajinderpal Singh Toor as the male flagbearer because the shot putter had not received his official kit which prevented him from attending the gala event in Nagoya.

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The day started for India with a heartbreaking loss for Quimcy D’Souza, who was competing in the semi-finals of the women’s teqball event, where a win would have assured India its first medal. But despite the loss, Quimcy D’Souza will compete for the bronze medal tomorrow.

Scroll down for our live blog of the first day of the Asian Games and the opening ceremony

Live Updates

Meet Quimcy Dsouza: The Teqer nearing first medal for India at Asian Games 2026

With the official opening ceremony of 2026 Asian Games still a day away, A 24-year-old test engineer from sporting goods brand Decathlon is nearing a historic first medal for India in most unlikely of the sources, Teqball.

Mumbai-born Quimcy Dsouza, who played football at U19 level, reached the semi-final of the women’s singles in Teqball on Friday.

In her first match at the Asian Games, Qumicy produced a upset after she came from a game down to beat world no 7 and home favourite Yuina Sakamoto of Japan 2-1 (10-12, 12-11, 13-11) in 43 minutes in her first match in Group B. In the next fixture, she took down Koemyean Dy of Combodia 2-0 (12-9, 12-7) in 24 minutes.

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