5th Asian Para Games Open at Aichi-Nagoya; India Fields 168 Athletes Across 11 Disciplines
The 5th Asian Para Games opened at Aichi-Nagoya, Japan, on 18 October 2026, with the ceremony held at the Nagoya City Mizuho Park Athletic Stadium. Running to 24 October under the motto 'Imagine One Heart' and the mascot Uzumin, the Games bring about 3,000 para athletes from 45 nations to contest 492 gold medals across 18 sports. India has sent 168 athletes (112 men, 56 women) in 11 disciplines, led by flag bearers Pramod Bhagat and Bhavina Patel, named earlier in October. India arrives off its best-ever away showing at Hangzhou 2023, where it took 111 medals and finished fifth.
The Asian Para Games are held every four years under the Asian Paralympic Committee; the first edition was at Guangzhou, China, in 2010 | The 2022 edition was postponed to October 2023 and held at Hangzhou, China, where India finished fifth with 111 medals | Devendra Jhajharia, a Paralympic javelin gold medallist, is the President of the Paralympic Committee of India