The Asian Games 2018 commences on the 18th of August in Indonesia and the Indian contingent will be hopeful of winning laurels for their nation. Indian athletes have performed well in the past games and hence expectation are high going into this edition of Asian Games too. While some fresh faces have come up in the sporting world, the old war horses are present to add a good mix in Indonesia. The 524 member Indian contingent will be under close scanner as hopes of a billion people lie with them as they will strive in search of excellence.

Lets us look at some of the names who are gold medal hopeful for India at the 18th Asian Games in Indonesia. Asian Games 2018: Here’s a List of Sporting Events Indian Athletes Will Be Participating In

Sushil Kumar: The two-time Olympic medalist and one of the greatest names in India’s sporting history, Sushil Kumar continues to be India’s medal hopes in wrestling. The star wrestler who had a brief low phase in between where his future looked bleak but is back to his best and raring to go. The government has also sanctioned a sum of 5 lakhs for his two-week training program in Georgia as they want him to be at his best during the Asiad. This will significantly boost Sushil’s chances of grabbing a gold and as he looks to better his sole bronze medal in the Doha Asian Games in 2006.

PV Sindhu: The Indian badminton star is currently ranked no 3 in the BWF ranking and her meteoric rise in the game makes her one of the strong contenders for a top finish. She did not go past the round of 16 in the Incheon 2014 Asian Games but a lot has changed since then. She is currently enjoying a great spell on the tours and a Rio Olympics silver medal in 2016 means she has the mental strength to grind out results.

Manu Bhaker: The young shooter is a sensation at the moment after her exploits at the 2018 Commonwealth Games where she won a gold and also created a record with 240.9 points. She also has a gold medal in World Cup shooting event and it would be a major surprise if she does not clinch a gold in Indonesia. A true champions, Bhaker has been performing consistently for quite some time now with several junior shooting records. India’s Asian Games Medal Tally: A Look at India’s Performance at Last Five Asiad Ahead of 2018 Asian Games Jakarta Palembang.

Heena Sidhu: Ace shooter Heena Sidhu has been a former World no1 and is one of the main candidates for gold in Indonesia. Although she is yet to open her account in Asian Games, her preparation have been going really well and she is hopeful the shooting team will be India’s top performer in the coming event and will outdo their previous campaign.

Vikas Krishnan: Boxing is one of the key areas of focus for India and one man who knows how to win laurels at the Asian Games is Vikas Krishnan. The boxer plies his trade in the 75 kg category and has previously won gold at the 2010 Asian Games and a bronze at the 2014 Asian Games. He has excelled in the middleweight category and of all the boxers, he is currently India’s best bet for a gold.

Srikanth Kidambi: The 25-year-old received the Padma Shri award recently and is India’s highest ranked badminton player on the tour. Being one of the top players, he is expected to leading his nations charge and the although the results of late have been a bit of mixed bag, he is capable of beating the best on his day. Javelin Thrower Neeraj Chopra to be India’s Flag-bearer For Asian Games 2018 Opening Ceremony in Indonesia.

These champion players along with the rest of the contingent will all have to perform out of their depths to win gold considering the standard of competition in an event like the Asian Games. The sense of pride representing their country should be a driving factor in their quest for glory.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Aug 15, 2018 05:41 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).