India's Sepak Takraw Men Will Try to Break Thailand and Malaysia's Grip at the Asian Games in Nagoya
India beat Thailand on the way to Asian quadrant gold at the same Nagoya venue earlier this year, then took King's Cup bronze in August.
India's sepak takraw players will arrive at the Asian Games in Aichi-Nagoya aiming to break the long dominance of Thailand and Malaysia, IndiaSportsHub reported on 15 September 2026. The sepak takraw competition is scheduled to begin on 20 September at Nagoya's Mizuho Park Gymnasium.
India won gold in the men's quadrant at the Asian Sepaktakraw Championship in Nagoya earlier this year, beating Thailand in straight sets in the semi-final and hosts Japan 15-10, 12-15, 15-12 in the final at the same venue. In August, India's quadrant team took bronze at the King's Cup in Thailand after losing 15-9, 9-15, 9-15 to the hosts in the semi-finals.
India named a 21-member squad of 12 men and nine women in August. The men will contest the team regu and quadrant events and the women the quadrant and doubles, with Arun, Lokhon Singh Elangbam and Akash Yumnam among the players selected for both men's disciplines.
Chief coach Sandeep Saroha believes the team has made big strides, according to the report, and the men have been training at the Sports Authority of India's Sonepat centre. The report highlighted Delhi's Ashish, who missed the previous Games cycle after a bike accident on his way to training. India's women won a historic regu bronze at the last Asian Games.
Six sepak takraw medal events will be contested, three for men and three for women, according to the organisers. The men's and women's team regu events open the programme, while the quadrant finals are scheduled for 3 October.