Lovlina Borgohain, Mirabai Chanu lead Northeast medal hopes at Asian Games 2026

ElevenAM Sports Desk | Itanagar | 19 September 2026 | 3:12 PM IST

Olympic medallists Lovlina Borgohain and Mirabai Chanu are carrying some of the Northeast’s strongest medal hopes as India begins its campaign at the 2026 Asian Games in Aichi-Nagoya, Japan. The Games run from September 19 to October 4 and bring together athletes from 45 countries and regions across 43 sports and 469 medal events.

India arrives in Japan after its record performance at the previous Asian Games in Hangzhou, where the country won 107 medals, including 28 gold. The target this time is to remain above the 100-medal mark and build on gains made in athletics, shooting, archery and several team sports.

That ambition has become more demanding after defending javelin champion Neeraj Chopra withdrew with an ankle injury.

For the Northeast, the spotlight is particularly strong on Borgohain and Chanu because both have already succeeded at the Olympic level. Borgohain, from Assam, is one of India’s leading boxing prospects and enters the Games after a strong Commonwealth Games campaign for the national boxing squad.

The Asian field, however, is traditionally deeper and more difficult, particularly in the women’s divisions where China, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan and other established boxing nations remain formidable.

Chanu, from Manipur, has a different unfinished objective. Despite winning Olympic and Commonwealth Games medals and becoming a world champion, an Asian Games medal has remained absent from her record. She will compete in the women’s 49kg category and is expected to face some of the strongest lifters in the world, including athletes from North Korea and Chinese Taipei.

The Asian Games have repeatedly been difficult for Chanu. She finished fourth in the 49kg event at the previous edition and has spoken publicly about wanting to end that gap in her career. A podium finish in Japan would give her a medal across the Olympics, Commonwealth Games and Asian Games, a rare collection in Indian weightlifting.

India’s wider medal campaign includes several other established names, among them PV Sindhu, Manu Bhaker, Aman Sehrawat and leading athletes in shooting, archery and wrestling. Both the men’s and women’s cricket teams are defending champions, while hockey carries additional importance because the winners can secure direct qualification for the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics.

The Northeast has long contributed disproportionately to India’s success in sports such as boxing, weightlifting, football and combat disciplines. The presence of Borgohain and Chanu at the centre of the national campaign is another example of that influence.

Their performances will be followed closely not only for their individual medal prospects but also for what they represent to younger athletes across Assam, Manipur and the wider region.

The first days of the Games will establish whether India can match the momentum of Hangzhou. For Borgohain and Chanu, the expectations are personal as well as national: one is trying to reinforce her position among Asia’s leading boxers, while the other is attempting to finally secure the major continental medal that has repeatedly eluded her.