Rising stars likely to shine brightest at the Asiad

Some of the brightest talents in sport will be going for gold following the opening of the Asian Games in Aichi-Nagoya on Saturday.

Here are six world-class young stars who are primed to make a big impact in Japan:

China's teen swimming sensation Yu Zidi on her way to winning the 200m butterfly during the 2026 Asian Games on Sunday.[Photo/Agencies]

Yu Zidi (swimming, CHN)

Last year, at age 12, Yu Zidi became the youngest swimming world championships medalist in history when she won bronze as part of China's 4x200m freestyle relay team.

She also finished a whisker outside the medals in fourth place in three world individual events.

She has embellished her growing reputation this year, notably with a victory over multiple American Olympic champion Regan Smith in the 200m butterfly in March.

The 13-year-old Yu is already targeting Olympic glory, which seems a fair bet, given that she claimed China's first swimming gold and her first Asian Games title by winning the 200m butterfly by some margin on Sunday, setting a new Games record with a time of 2:05.08.

Yu will also swim in the individual 200m and 400m medleys.

Sri Lanka's Rumesh Tharanga Pathirage prepares to throw during the men's javelin final at the 2026 World Athletics Ultimate Championships in Budapest earlier this month.[Photo/Agencies]

Rumesh Tharanga Pathirage (javelin, SRI)

The first Sri Lankan to become a Diamond League champion, Rumesh Tharanga Pathirage has taken the javelin world by storm in 2026, continuing South Asia's global dominance in the event.

India's Neeraj Chopra and Pakistan's Arshad Nadeem are the last two Olympic champions, but the 23-year-old will be hot favorite to add Asian Games gold to his Commonwealth gold won in Glasgow this year.

Pathirage hurled a world-leading 92.62m in the Rome Diamond League meet on June 4, and, in Zurich last month, his 92.07 saw him become only the fourth man in history to exceed 92m twice.

He will face Nadeem, who holds the Asian record of 92.97m, in Japan, but the Pakistani has been struggling for form.

Chopra is injured and unable to defend his Asian Games gold.

Shin Ohashi of Japan looks on after the men's 200m breaststroke final at the Pan Pacific Swimming Championships on Aug 15.[Photo/Agencies]

Shin Ohashi (swimming, JPN)

Breaststroke talent Shin Ohashi stands just at 169cm and admits to a passion for junk food, but the 17-year-old has still emerged as the star of Japan's new generation of swimmers.

He came within a second of the 200m world record held by China's Qin Haiyang earlier this year, having been on course to beat it at the final turn.

It earned him a junior world record and the fastest time in the world this year.

Ohashi's family made him learn how to swim at the age of three so that he wouldn't drown in a pond in his grandmother's garden.

He is set to lock horns with Qin again in Nagoya.

India's Vaibhav Sooryavanshi watches the ball after playing a shot during a One Day International against Zimbabwe on July 25.[Photo/Agencies]

Vaibhav Sooryavanshi (cricket, IND)

The fast and furious batting of 15-year-old Vaibhav Sooryavanshi could light up the Asian Games T20 cricket, as India looks to retain its men's crown.

Sooryavanshi forced his way into India's T20 squad that toured England this summer following a domestic season where he topped the batting charts with 776 runs.

He hit two stunning sixes on his India debut at Old Trafford in a whirlwind 14 runs to replace Sachin Tendulkar as India's youngest men's player.

He followed up with a maiden fifty against Zimbabwe off just 18 balls, before posting an eventual match-winning blitz of 81 from 49 balls.

Misa Nishiyama in action during the women's individual all-around final at the 80th All-Japan Gymnastics Championship in April.[Photo/Agencies]

Misa Nishiyama (gymnastics, JPN)

Sixteen-year-old Misa Nishiyama has wowed Japanese gymnastics after making the step-up to senior level.

Nishiyama, the 2025 junior floor world champion, won Japan's all-around championship in April and more gold at the NHK Trophy.

She first took an interest in Brazilian jiu-jitsu, but became hooked on gymnastics when she started taking lessons at the age of five.

She is already targeting a place on the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics podium in the women's team competition, in which Japan has not won a medal since 1964.

Alexandra Eala celebrates a point against Iva Jovic during the US Open third round in New York earlier this month.[Photo/Agencies]

Alexandra Eala (tennis, PHI)

With a first WTA Tour title and a stunning win against defending champion Iga Swiatek at Wimbledon this year, Alexandra Eala has emerged as one of tennis' most exciting new talents.

Eala's run to the Washington title last month saw her sweep aside world No 3 Jessica Pegula in the final after wins over Naomi Osaka, Elina Svitolina, Leylah Fernandez and Zheng Qinwen.

At a career high 18th in the world, Eala will warm up at the Singapore Open before embarking on her quest for an Asian Games gold to add to her SEA Games gold last year.

She won Asian Games bronze at the age of 18 in Hangzhou three years ago, losing in the semifinals to Zheng, who went on to take gold and win the Olympics a year later.