As the curtain fell on the Asian Games in Japan, most of India and its athletes are sporting a satisfied grin. They managed to maintain their fourth place on the continental medals table behind powerhouse China, host Japan and South Korea just like the previous edition in the Chinese city of Hangzhou, where India had recorded its largest tally of 107 medals. The medal tally is particularly encouraging because India has gradually expanded its presence beyond traditional strongholds. Athletes from disciplines such as athletics, shooting, wrestling, boxing, archery and badminton have demonstrated that India possesses the talent to challenge the best in Asia. Overall, the Asiad success could not have come at a better time with India gearing up to host the Commonwealth Games in 2030 as well as bidding for the 2036 Olympics. The road to Olympic glory demands a bigger talent pool, better training, stronger mental conditioning and world-class support systems. The Asian Games have offered India a vital reality check. The next task is to initiate course correction in the run-up to the 2028 LA Olympics.
GREGORY FERNANDES, Mumbai
