The Saudi Olympic and Paralympic Committee (SOPC) designated 11 Olympic and Paralympic priority sports for podium finishes and announced a delegation of 144 athletes competing across 19 disciplines at the 20th Asian Games Aichi-Nagoya 2026, set to open in Japan in mid-September.
Speaking at the periodic sports sector conference, SOPC CEO and Secretary-General Abdulaziz Baeshen outlined the target sports: athletics, judo, taekwondo, karate, jujitsu, swimming, weightlifting, shooting, equestrian, fencing, and wrestling. Baeshen noted the strategy benchmarked leading international models, where select sports account for up to 80% of top medal tallies.
To develop long-term athletic capability, the committee approved a sports scholarship initiative in partnership with the Ministry of Sport and Ministry of Education, sending 50 elite athletes annually to world-leading sports universities. Baeshen also highlighted the rollout of specialized national training hubs, including combat sports centers in Jeddah and Riyadh, comprehensive elite facilities under development, and athletics centers in Bisha, Jazan, and Madinah.
Delegation criteria required athletes to rank among Asia’s top eight in individual disciplines and top four in team events. Notably, 48% of the squad is under 23. For the 5th Asian Para Games from October 18 to 24, the Kingdom will field 44 athletes competing across eight sports, focusing on high performance while building international tournament exposure for young national talent.
Source: Riyadh Daily