Timor-Leste at Asian Games 2026: One of Asia’s Smallest Delegations Rebuilds

Timor-Leste’s Asian Games delegation has shrunk from 64 athletes in 2018 to just 9 in 2023, with no medal ever won and no 2026 roster yet public.

Winless in Asian Games History

Delegation Shrank from 64 to 9 Athletes

One of Asia’s Newest Sporting Nations

All-Time Asian Games Medals

Athletes at 2023 Hangzhou Games

Athletes at 2018 Jakarta-Palembang Games

Sports Entered in 2023 (down from 12 in 2018)

Timor-Leste’s Asian Games Track Record

Timor-Leste has never won an Asian Games medal since its debut in 2002. Its delegation size has fallen sharply across recent editions: 64 athletes across 12 sports at the 2018 Jakarta-Palembang Games, shrinking to just 9 athletes across 3 sports at the 2022/23 Hangzhou Games.

Edition	Rank	Gold	Silver	Bronze	Total
2018 Jakarta-Palembang	Unranked	0	0	0	0
2022/23 Hangzhou	Unranked	0	0	0	0

Source: Timor-Leste at the 2018 Asian Games, Timor-Leste at the 2022 Asian Games, and Timor-Leste at the Asian Games, Wikipedia.

Timor-Leste’s Strongest Sports

No sport has produced an Asian Games medal for Timor-Leste. The country’s competitive sports program is still developing, with a much smaller and more targeted delegation at recent Games than in 2018, when it entered 12 sports. Taekwondo is a sport with a reported active qualification effort for 2026, though this remains unconfirmed.

Timor-Leste’s Official Squads by Sport

No official Comité Olímpico de Timor-Leste roster for the 2026 Asian Games has been published as of this writing.

Confirmed via official federation/media sources

Sport	Key Named Athletes	Status
No individually named 2026 Asian Games athletes have been officially confirmed for Timor-Leste.

Reported but not yet formally finalized

Sport	Notes
Taekwondo	Teresa Ximenes has been reported, via Timorese outlet TATOLI, as pursuing 2026 Asian Games qualification, though this has not been formally confirmed by the national Olympic committee

Team confirmed, no roster yet / not found

Sports
Athletics, Boxing, Judo, and other sports based on Timor-Leste’s historical Games participation pattern

Note on sourcing: A separate, smaller Timor-Leste squad (Abelita Borges plus three unnamed athletes) has been reported for the Asian Para Games, a distinct event from the main Asian Games, and should not be presented as part of the Aichi-Nagoya roster.

Storylines to Watch

A shrinking delegation: Timor-Leste’s team size has fallen from 64 athletes across 12 sports in 2018 to just 9 across 3 sports in 2023, raising real questions about the size and scope of its 2026 program.

One of Asia’s newest sporting nations: as a country that only gained independence in 2002, Timor-Leste’s Asian Games program remains in an early developmental stage, with no medal yet to show for it.

Frequently Asked Questions

Has Timor-Leste ever won an Asian Games medal?

No. Timor-Leste has competed since its Asian Games debut in 2002 and has never won a gold, silver, or bronze medal.

What is Timor-Leste’s strongest sport at the Asian Games?

No sport has produced a medal. The country’s program has shrunk in scope in recent editions, entering just 3 sports in 2023 compared to 12 in 2018.

Has Timor-Leste’s 2026 Asian Games roster been announced?

No. No official roster has been published by the Comité Olímpico de Timor-Leste, though taekwondo athlete Teresa Ximenes has been reported as pursuing qualification.