3 days ago
Indian surfers get two more quotas for 2026 Asian Games
The Indian surfing team secured two additional quotas for the 2026 Asian Games, with a spot each for men and women, after its impressive campaign at the Asian Surfing Championships (ASC) 2025 in Mamallapuram recently.
India now has four quotas — two men, two women — for the upcoming Asian Games in Japan where surfing is set to make its debut. The country had already clinched two slots at the 2024 ASC held in the Maldives.
'Five years ago, India was absent from the Asian surfing rankings. Today, we are competing shoulder-to-shoulder with the best in the continent. Our journey continues with a clear goal: make a strong mark at the Asian Games in Japan,' said Arun Vasu, president, Surfing Federation of India, at the closing ceremony.
India's ASC 2025 campaign was headlined by Ramesh Budihal, who secured a bronze in the men's open, the first individual medal for the country at the continental stage. Three Indians made it to the quarterfinals for the first time, and two reached the semifinals — Budihal and Kishore Kumar.
India (1785) finished third in the men's open team rankings, behind Indonesia (1980) and South Korea (1800). The women's open podium had Japan (1860) on top, followed by Indonesia (1670) and Thailand (1608). The host finished eighth (1200).
The medal winners of all categories, including boys' under-18 and girls' under-18, were felicitated.
