Champions return, 314 debutants arrive: Inside India’s 500-plus Asian Games campaign

NEW DELHI: Hoping to build on the historic campaign three years back at Hangzhou, India begins its campaign at the Asian Games in Aichi-Nagoya with a 500-plus athlete contingent, aiming to better the 106-medal tally racked up at the last Games.While the build-up to the Games has been marred by mismanagement, an accommodation crisis and the threat of a typhoon looming large over the Japanese prefecture, for the athletes, once the Games begin, it will be, as the adage goes, ‘game mode on’.The 500-plus athlete Indian contingent comprises a sizeable group of returning champions and experienced campaigners. 314 of those athletes are preparing for their first appearance at the continental event.Interestingly, women athletes make up 46.7% of the contingent. At 15, Vaibhav Sooryavanshi is the youngest member.