India on Sunday, August 25 secured their first-ever quota in Asian Games 2026. On the back of Kishore Kumar’s stellar performance, the country secured its first-ever quota in surfing for the upcoming Asian Games, which are scheduled to be held in Aichi-Nagoya in Japan.
Kumar, who was competing in the U-18 category, finished third in Heat 2 of the semifinal at the Asian Surfing Championships 2024, helping both men’s as well as women’s team earn crucial points in their ranking. Although Kishore Kumar missed his place in the final but secured a third-place finish in semifinal Heat 2 with a score of 8.26 to help both men and women’s team secure qualification.
Notably, Japan’s Taro Takai secured the first place in the heat with a score of 14.50, whereas China’s Chengzheng Wang finished second with a score of 10.0.
Arun Vasu reacts after India confirms spot in Asian Games 2026 in surfing
Notably, India’s qualification has led them to feature in the Games for the first time, thanks to the efforts of Kishore Kumar and Harish Muthu, who had earlier made history by becoming the first Indian to qualify for the Asian Surfing Championships quarterfinals.
“It’s truly heartening to witness this historic day when Indian surfing has secured quotas for the upcoming Asian Games. This achievement is a testament to the hard work and determination of our surfers, coaches, and the federation over the years,” said Surfing Federation of India President, Arun Vasu.
“I am confident that we will also see our surfers competing in the Olympics in the future. While it would have been the icing on the cake if Kishore had made it to the finals today, we are still incredibly proud of him, considering his age, talent, and unwavering determination,” he further added.
It is to be further noted that surfing is among the 41 sports that will feature in the 2026 Asian Games, which will be held in Aichi-Nagoya in Japan.