# Sato and Ota both set to skip Asian Games keirin

*By Simon | September 15, 2026*

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![Sato and Ota both set to skip Asian Games keirin](https://globalkeirin.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/09/Izu_Velodrome_20111016-cropped.jpg)![Sato and Ota both set to skip Asian Games keirin](https://globalkeirin.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/09/Izu_Velodrome_20111016-cropped.jpg)
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# 󠀁[Sato and Ota both set to skip Asian Games keirin](https://globalkeirin.com/2026/09/sato-and-ota-both-set-to-skip-asian-games-keirin/)󠁿

15 September 2026

[Kaiya Ota](https://globalkeirin.com/rider/kaiya-ota/) and
[Mina Sato](https://globalkeirin.com/rider/mina-sato/) – the top male and female
sprinters in Asia, based on the latest UCI world rankings – will both sit out
the keirin events at the Asian Games later this month, focusing instead on the
individual and team sprint competitions.

[Provisional details](https://results.asiangames2026.org/) on the Asian Games
2026 results website show that Japan will be represented in the women’s
competition by
[Haruka Nakazawa](https://globalkeirin.com/rider/haruka-nakazawa/) and 19 year
old [Minami Yamada](https://globalkeirin.com/rider/minami-yamada/), who finished
fourth at Japanese nationals in June.

It means that Sato will not defend the title she won in China in 2022.

China’s slate for the keirin competitions is especially strong, with all four
riders currently ranked in the UCI top 20 – although none has raced since May.

The rider likely to attract the most attention is of course
[Azizulhasni Awang](https://globalkeirin.com/rider/azizulhasni-awang/): the
Games could have been his final farewell, but of course we learned last month
that he had reached agreement to continue to Los Angeles 2028. He will be joined
in Malaysian colours by
[Muhammad Shah Firdaus Sahrom](https://globalkeirin.com/rider/muhammad-shah-firdaus-sahrom/)
, who is working to rediscover his best form following knee surgery.

The Games are nominally hosted by Aichi-Nagoya; but the track cycling will take
place some 200km to the east, at the Izu Velodrome which hosted the Tokyo
Olympics in 2021.

### Women’s keirin

Wednesday 30 September 2026

- [Wang Lijuan](https://globalkeirin.com/rider/wang-lijuan/)
- [Yuan Liying](https://globalkeirin.com/rider/yuan-liying/)
- [Phoebe Tung](https://globalkeirin.com/rider/phoebe-tung/)
- [Cho Yiu Yeung](https://globalkeirin.com/rider/cho-yiu-yeung/)
- [Celestina Chelobroy](https://globalkeirin.com/rider/celestina-chelobroy/)
- [Keerthi Rangaswamy Chikka](https://globalkeirin.com/rider/keerthi-rangaswamy-chikka/)
- [Haruka Nakazawa](https://globalkeirin.com/rider/haruka-nakazawa/)
- [Minami Yamada](https://globalkeirin.com/rider/minami-yamada/)
- [Sunyoung Cho](https://globalkeirin.com/rider/sunyoung-cho/)
- [Haeun Kim](https://globalkeirin.com/rider/haeun-kim/)
- [Nurul Izzah Izzati Mohd Asri](https://globalkeirin.com/rider/nurul-izzah-izzati-mohd-asri/)
- [Nur Alyssa Mohd Farid](https://globalkeirin.com/rider/nur-alyssa-mohd-farid/)
- [Lolwa Al-Marri](https://globalkeirin.com/rider/lolwa-al-marri/)
- [Ching Yun Chen](https://globalkeirin.com/rider/ching-yun-chen/)
- [Shang Ying Liu](https://globalkeirin.com/rider/shang-ying-liu/)

### Men’s keirin

Friday 2 October 2026

- [Zhiwei Li](https://globalkeirin.com/rider/zhiwei-li/)
- [Han Xie](https://globalkeirin.com/rider/han-xie/)
- [Cheuk Hei To](https://globalkeirin.com/rider/cheuk-hei-to/)
- [Tsun Ho Yung](https://globalkeirin.com/rider/tsun-ho-yung/)
- [Dika Alif Dhentaka](https://globalkeirin.com/rider/dika-alif-dhentaka/)
- [Dhia Tsabit Az Zakky Sutaryo](https://globalkeirin.com/rider/dhia-tsabit-az-zakky-sutaryo/)
- [Ronaldo Laitonjam](https://globalkeirin.com/rider/ronaldo-laitonjam/)
- [Minato Nakaishi](https://globalkeirin.com/rider/minato-nakaishi/)
- [Andrey Chugay](https://globalkeirin.com/rider/andrey-chugay/)
- [Kirill Kurdidi](https://globalkeirin.com/rider/kirill-kurdidi/)
- [Taeho Choi](https://globalkeirin.com/rider/taeho-choi/)
- [Woorim Choi](https://globalkeirin.com/rider/woorim-choi/)
- [Azizulhasni Awang](https://globalkeirin.com/rider/azizulhasni-awang/)
- [Muhammad Shah Firdaus Sahrom](https://globalkeirin.com/rider/muhammad-shah-firdaus-sahrom/)
- [Jai Angsuthasawit](https://globalkeirin.com/rider/jai-angsuthasawit/)
- [Norasetthada Bunma](https://globalkeirin.com/rider/norasetthada-bunma/)
- [Shih Feng Kang](https://globalkeirin.com/rider/shih-feng-kang/)
- [Hafiz Sali](https://globalkeirin.com/rider/hafiz-sali/)
- [Fadhel Al-Khater](https://globalkeirin.com/rider/fadhel-al-khater/)

**Categories:** Original