2026 Asian Games: Japan organisers give nod to eight gold in takraw

KuALA LuMPuR: The Organising Committee of the 2026 Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games (AINAGOC) in Japan has approved the proposal of the Asian Sepaktakraw Federation (ASTAF) which wanted eight gold medals to be offered for sepak takraw events at the games.

ASTAF president Datuk Abdul Halim Kader said the eight gold medals on offer included four men’s category events (team regu; win 2 out of 3 regu matches played, inter-regu, doubles regu and quadrant/four players), three women’s categories (team regu, doubles regu and quadrant) and the mixed quadrant which is a new event in the 2026 Asian Games, which is scheduled to take place from Sept 19 to Oct 4 in 2026.

“These eight gold medals on offer have been confirmed by the Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games Organising Committee (AINAGOC) and only requires the support (endorsement) of the

Olympic Council of Asia (OCA) at its meeting in the next three months,” he said in a statement.

He said this after paying a visit to the secretary-general of AINAGOC, Murate Satoshi in Nagoya, yesterday.

He said ASTAF was tolerant in negotiations with AINAGOC which rejected the (inter-regu) event between the women’s squads to be contested and instead willingly accepted the mixed quadrant because the organisers thought the host’s advantage to win a medal in the new event was brighter.

Abdul Halim said Japan as the host is allowed to participate in all events while other countries can only choose two from each category – with the exception given to the mixed quadrant which is open to all.

The mixed quadrant is introduced as a new branch (event) of sepak takraw beginning with the 2022 Thailand King’s Cup in Bangkok.