Nepal is set to compete in 22 sports at the 20th Asian Games
Nepal is set to compete in 22 sports at the 20th Asian Games, which kick off this Saturday in Aichi–Nagoya, Japan. According to the National Sports Council, 136 athletes from Nepal—80 men and 56 women—will compete in the Games, which run through October 4. A total of 211 members will represent the Nepali contingent. The delegation includes 29 coaches, 17 managers and technical officials, a 6-member medical team, 4 journalists, and other officials alongside high-level dignitaries, the Chef de Mission, and the Deputy Chef de Mission.
Nepal has participated continuously in the Asian Games since the inaugural edition held in India in 1951. While Nepal was represented only by a nine-member athletics squad in that first edition, this year it is fielding competitors across both team and individual disciplines.
In team sports, Nepal will feature in men’s and women’s kabaddi, men’s cricket, and women’s volleyball. Kabaddi will include 24 athletes across both men’s and women’s squads, the men’s cricket team comprises 15 players, and the women’s volleyball squad has 12 players.
Among individual sports, wushu will have the highest number of Nepali athletes. In addition, Nepal will field both male and female competitors in archery, athletics, badminton, boxing, cycling, golf, judo, karate, soft tennis, squash, swimming, table tennis, tennis, and wrestling.
Only male athletes will compete for Nepal in canoeing/rowing, skateboarding, and taekwondo. A single athlete will represent Nepal in dance sport.
Nepal secured its first Asian Games medal in 1986 during the 10th edition in Seoul, South Korea. Since then, the country has never returned empty-handed. To date, Nepal has amassed a total of 26 medals at the Asian Games—3 silvers and 23 bronzes—though it has yet to claim a gold medal.
In the previous edition, the 19th Asian Games held in Hangzhou, China, in 2023, Nepal fielded 253 athletes across 29 sports. Nepal won two medals at that competition: a historic silver medal from karateka Erika Gurung and a bronze medal from the women’s kabaddi team.
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