Daijiworld Media Network – Nagoya

Nagoya, Sep 18: Double Olympic medallist Manu Bhaker and defending Asian Games shot put champion Tajinderpal Singh Toor will carry the Indian flag at the opening ceremony of the 2026 Asian Games in Japan on Saturday.

India’s Chef de Mission Sahdev Yadav confirmed Bhaker’s appointment as one of the flag-bearers, while the Athletics Federation of India announced Toor as the second flag-bearer.

Bhaker heads into the Asian Games with a notable Olympic record. At the Paris Olympics in 2024, she became the first athlete from independent India to win two medals at a single edition of the Olympic Games.

Toor will join Bhaker at the head of the Indian contingent. He has won gold in the men’s shot put at the last two editions of the Asian Games and will enter the 2026 competition as the defending champion.

Meanwhile, India’s preparations for the Games have been accompanied by logistical issues involving accommodation, accreditation and transportation. Yadav said additional arrangements had been made to ensure athletes have adequate facilities.

According to Yadav, 18 additional hotel rooms had already been booked, with another 10 expected to be secured. The contingent has also arranged its own transportation to reduce the impact of delays and other logistical difficulties.

“There were some issues initially, which is why we booked an additional hotel. Everyone has accommodation, and there is no problem from our side,” Yadav said.

He added that the accreditation process was taking considerable time, while transportation arrangements had also posed challenges.

The Indian contingent will now turn its focus towards competition as athletes prepare to begin their respective events at the Asian Games.