New Delhi, 17 September (H.S.): Indian men’s and women’s judo athletes have been given an opportunity to undergo international training in Japan as part of their preparations for the 2026 Asian Games and the World Judo Championships. Initiated by the Sports Authority of India (SAI), the training programme is being held at Tsukuba University in Japan and will continue until October 2. The contingent comprises 11 judo athletes, including one man and 10 women, along with three coaches.

Three of the 11 athletes are part of India’s Asian Games squad. They include Asmita Dey in the women’s 48kg category, Yamini Maurya in the 57kg category and Takhellambam Inungnabi in the 70kg category. Asmita will compete on September 30, while Yamini and Inungnabi will take to the mat on October 1 at the Aichi International Arena in Nagoya.

The overseas training camp in Japan is being held at a crucial stage of the international calendar. Immediately after the Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games, the World Judo Championships will be held in Baku from October 4 to 11. A total of 10 Indian judokas, comprising one man and nine women, will compete at the Baku championships.

The Indian contingent training at Tsukuba University includes Harsh Singh in the men’s 60kg category. The women’s contingent comprises Commonwealth Games 2026 gold medallist Asmita Dey in the 48kg category; Shraddha K. Chopde and L. Nungshithoi Chanu in the 52kg category; Yamini Maurya in the 57kg category; Linthoi Chanambam, Unnati Sharma and Himanshi Tokas in the 63kg category; Takhellambam Inungnabi and K.H. Taibanganbi in the 70kg category; and Ishroop Narang in the 78kg category. The coaching staff comprises Jeevan Kumar Sharma, Birendra Singh and Rajvinder Kaur.

The overseas training programme has been approved under the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports’ Assistance to National Sports Federations scheme. The Judo Federation of India is responsible for coordinating the overseas training and other related arrangements.

The camp in Japan is part of the comprehensive support being extended by the Sports Authority of India to Indian athletes preparing for the Asian Games. Training in the host country will provide Indian judokas with an opportunity not only to acclimatise themselves to local conditions ahead of the competition but also to undertake high-level preparation before the Games.

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Hindusthan Samachar / Jun Sarkar