Asian Games 2026: Top athletes and storylines to look out for

Asia’s biggest sport stars will descend on Japan this week to battle it out for continental glory as the Asian Games get under way.Aichi-Nagoya 2026 will see several athletes eyeing first-time podium finishes while others look to defend their crown.Recommended Stories list of 4 itemslist 1 of 4Alex Eala firm on Asian Games participation despite threat of WTA finelist 2 of 4Record-breaking Rumesh’s javelins broken during travel ahead of Asian Gameslist 3 of 4North Korea thrash Bangladesh 10-0 in Asian Games women’s footballlist 4 of 4South Korean officials decry ‘worst ever’ Asian Games accommodationend of listThis year’s edition will see six sports make their debut, while in some sports, a gold medal will double as automatic qualification for the LA 2028 Olympics.From Olympic champions to teen sensations to breakout stars, Al Jazeera Sport takes a look at some of the top athletes to watch:Alex Eala, Philippines — tennisTennis’s newest sweetheart will be the favourite for gold in women’s singles. The 21-year-old Filipino star is coming off a career-high season that saw her first WTA 1000 title last month and a third-round finish at the US Open.Eala will compete at the Singapore Open...