India's history-making Sepak Takraw team eyes Asian Games 2026 medal

New Delhi [India], March 29 (ANI): The historic gold medal clinched by the Indian men's regu team at the Sepak Takraw World Cup 2025 in Patna, Bihar, has been a result of multiple years of training at various Sports Authority of India (SAI) centres. India defeated Japan 2-1 in a dramatic final showdown in the competition, held from March 20 to 25 at the Pataliputra Indoor Stadium, as per the SAI Media press release.
The Indian contingent returned home with a total of seven medals, including one gold, one silver, and five bronze. The men's regu team secured gold, while the women's doubles team clinched silver. Bronze medals were won by the men's doubles team, women's regu team, mixed quad team, women's quad team, and men's quad team.
Their victory was lauded by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who took to X to commend the achievement, stating as quoted by the SAI Media press release, "This spectacular performance indicates a promising future for India in the global Sepak Takraw arena."
"These players have trained across SAI Training Centres (STCs) in Bawana (Delhi), Imphal, Dimapur, and Bareilly for 8-10 years, refining their skills," Hemraj, chief coach of the Indian Sepak Takraw team, told SAI Media. "Most players in the team have been a product of SAI, receiving continuous support in terms of funding, foreign exposure, and training opportunities. In preparation for the World Cup, SAI organized a one-and-a-half-month training camp in Thailand, where these players worked rigorously."
The average age of the team is 23 years, with players representing Delhi, Manipur, All India Police Sports Control Board, Sashastra Seema Bal (SSB), and other states, according to Hemraj.
Looking ahead to future challenges, the STC Bawana-based coach added, "Our next big target is to win a medal for India at the 2026 Asian Games. Before that, we have the Men's Asia Cup in May in Malaysia and the World Championship in July in Bangkok, Thailand. We aim to maintain our consistency across all these upcoming events." (ANI)