At the Asian Para Games 2026, Indian para-archers Sheetal Devi and Payal Nag secured a silver medal in the women’s compound doubles event.
They faced a tough competition against China’s Xueqing Xu and Jing Zhao in the final, where they lost with a score of 141-150. This achievement marks India’s first medal in para-archery at these Games.
During the final, the Indian duo struggled to find their rhythm, while the Chinese archers delivered an impressive performance to clinch the gold. This silver medal contributes to India’s overall medal tally, which also includes a bronze in para-athletics, thanks to Anubhav Choudhary’s third-place finish in the men’s 100m T35 event. Anubhav achieved a personal best of 12.72 seconds, showcasing India’s strength in sprint events.
Continued Success for Indian Athletes
In another highlight, Indian sprinter Simran Sharma made her mark by advancing to the final of the women’s 100m T12 event, winning her heat with a time of 12.13 seconds, which set a new Asian Para Games record. Simran had previously won the women’s 200m title just a day before.
With these outstanding performances, India has raised its overall medal count to 37, placing sixth in the medal standings at the Asian Para Games 2026.
Spotlight on the Talented Archers
Nineteen-year-old Sheetal is recognized as one of India’s top para-archers, having previously won a bronze medal in the mixed team compound event at the 2024 Paris Paralympics, making her the youngest Paralympic medallist in the country.
Payal, hailing from Balangir in Odisha, has shown remarkable resilience, overcoming the loss of all four limbs due to an electrocution accident at the age of eight. She began her journey in archery under the guidance of coach Kuldeep Vedwan at the Maata Vaishno Devi Shrine Archery Academy in Katra.
The silver medal won by this talented duo has provided a significant boost to India’s para-archery efforts, while Anubhav’s personal best adds to the nation’s growing medal tally in Nagoya.