The Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports (MYAS) has approved a total of 303 players across 17 sports disciplines to participate in the Asian Para Games to be held from October 22 to 28 in Hangzhou, China.
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The ministry also approved a total of 143 coaches, officials and support staff to be part of the Asian Para Games contingent. According to the ministry release, the list of athletes includes 191 men and 112 women, making it the largest contingent of 123 athletes approved for athletics events. This is the biggest contingent India have ever sent for the Asian Para Games.
Moreover, India will participate in 17 disciplines, including five sports, Canoeing, Blind Football, Lawn Bowls, Rowing, and Taekwondo for the very first time.
Earlier, a total of 190 athletes participated in 13 sporting events in the last edition of the Asian Para Games in 2018, where India won a total of 72 medals, including 15 gold.
The opening ceremony of the fourth Asian Para Games, along with a welcoming ceremony for the Chinese delegation, was held in Hangzhou, east China's Zhejiang Province, on Monday. China has sent 439 athletes to compete in 397 events in 22 sports.
Hangzhou will be the second Chinese city to host the Asian Para Games, after Guangzhou in 2010. Originally scheduled to take place from 9 to 15 October 2022, the event was postponed to 2023 due to the Covid-19 pandemic. The opening ceremony of the Para Games will take place on 22 October at the Hangzhou Sports Park Stadium. The closing ceremony of the event will take place on 28 October at the same venue.
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Following the conclusion of the 19th Asian Games, organisers are now turning their full attention to the Para Games, which will welcome an estimated 3,800 athletes from 45 Asian countries and regions that will compete across 22 sports during the week-long event.
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