Neyman Wangsu and Rupa Bayor of Arunachal Pradesh have been selected to represent India at the 2026 Asian Games in Aichi-Nagoya, Japan, scheduled from 19 September to 4 October.
They are among the 492 athletes approved by the Sports Ministry for the Games. Wangsu will compete in women's Changquan (Wushu), while Bayor will compete in individual Poomsae (Taekwondo).
Their inclusion is a huge achievement for the players and a proud moment for the state.
Wangsu had missed the 2023 Asian Games in China after being denied a visa, along with Onilu Tega and Mepung Lamgu.
Wangsu has won three consecutive National Games gold medals - in Gujarat in 2022, Goa in 2023 and Uttarakhand in 2025 - and has won at least 17 gold medals at senior national championships since 2019, as well as medals at international competitions.
Rupa Bayor was named Best Taekwondo Poomsae Player of the Year at the 2026 India Taekwondo Gala Awards and became the first Indian Taekwondo athlete to achieve World Rank 6 and Asia Rank 1.
Bayor won a bronze medal at the Asian Taekwondo Poomsae Championships this year, becoming the first Indian to win two consecutive medals at the Asian Taekwondo Poomsae Championships.
The players have now created history by being chosen to represent their country.
