Gen Dhiraj Seth lauds Army athletes who won 20 Asian Games medals, targets Los Angeles Olympics 2028

New Delhi: The chief of the Army staff, General Dhiraj Seth, on Monday felicitated Indian Army athletes for winning 20 medals at the 2026 Asian Games, reaffirming the force’s commitment to developing champions for the Los Angeles Olympics 2028. The Army contingent secured six gold, eight silver and six bronze medals, contributing nearly 24 per cent of India’s overall tally of 85 medals.

The six gold medals marked a 100 per cent increase over the Army’s gold-medal tally at the previous Asian Games. A total of 62 Army athletes, including nine women, competed across 15 disciplines, delivering a strong performance across shooting, athletics and other sports.

Naib Subedar Neeru Dhanda won two gold medals and one silver in shooting, becoming the first Indian woman to win an individual gold in women’s trap at the Asian Games. Naib Subedar Gulveer Singh won three individual medals in athletics, while Havildar Sawan Barwal secured silver in the marathon, ending India’s 44-year wait for an Asian Games medal in the event.

Ankush Havildar also won the race for the prestigious gold medal, which is a testament to the commitment of the Indian Army towards identifying and nurturing talent through its training programs.

The performance followed a strong showing at the Commonwealth Games 2026 in Glasgow, where Army athletes won 16 medals, comprising eight gold, seven silver and one bronze. The contingent accounted for 41 per cent of India’s overall medal tally at the competition.

Women athletes also made a significant contribution to the Army’s sporting achievements. Four Army women boxers won gold medals at the Commonwealth Games, while women athletes secured two gold and one silver at the Asian Games, underlining the growing role of women in the force’s sports programmes.

Gen Seth stressed the need to recognize talent in sport at a young age and develop the athletes through training. The Army’s sports development system includes Boys and Girls Sports Companies, High Performance Nodes and the Mission Olympic Wing, which aim to nurture promising athletes and prepare them for elite competition.

These programmes combine professional coaching with sports science, modern technology, nutrition, injury prevention and international exposure. The Army also aims to expand opportunities for women athletes and strengthen its pipeline of future international medal prospects.

With the Los Angeles Olympics 2028 as a major target, the Army will focus on individualised training, scientific preparation and performance enhancement. General Seth expressed confidence that Army athletes would continue to contribute to India’s sporting ambitions through discipline, determination and sustained effort.

Separately, the defence minister, Rajnath Singh, on Monday felicitated services athletes for their record 27-medal haul at the Asian Games. The contingent comprising personnel from the Army, Navy and Air Force won six gold, 11 silver and 10 bronze medals, accounting for nearly 32 per cent of India’s total tally of 85 medals.

Singh called for focused preparations for the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics, emphasising the need to build on the Services’ performance at the Asian Games. The recognition highlighted the contribution of India’s armed forces to the country’s sporting achievements and their role in preparing athletes for future international competitions.