Asian Para Games 2026: Nishad Kumar, Ajeet Singh Yadav among India's key medal contenders on Day 1
India kicks off its Asian Para Games 2026 campaign with stars like Nishad Kumar, Avani Lekhara, and Sheetal Devi leading the charge.
India is set to launch an ambitious medal hunt at the Asian Para Games 2026 in Aichi-Nagoya, Japan. As the action kicks off on Day 1, the Indian contingent is fielding a powerhouse lineup of Paralympic medallists and world champions across multiple disciplines, aiming to make an immediate impact on the leaderboard.
Heavyweights Lead the Charge in Athletics and Shooting
The spotlight remains firmly on the para athletics arena, where India's hopes are pinned on a trio of elite athletes. Paralympic medallists Nishad Kumar and Ajeet Singh Yadav, along with the formidable world champion Rinku Hooda, are expected to lead the charge and secure early podium finishes.
In para shooting, the legendary Avani Lekhara will spearhead the Indian challenge, bringing her immense experience and gold-winning pedigree to the range as the team looks to add to its tally from the very first day.
Precision and Power: Archery and Beyond
India's para archery team enters the competition with high expectations. Seasoned campaigners Harvinder Singh and the sensation Sheetal Devi, supported by Payal Nag, are among the top contenders looking to secure medals in their respective categories.
Beyond these stars, India will also be pushing for success in para swimming and para powerlifting, ensuring a diversified attack across the sporting calendar.
Day 1 Action Plan: The Indian Schedule
The first day is packed with events starting in the early hours of the morning. Here is the detailed breakdown of where Indian athletes will be competing on October 19:
Early Morning: Archery and Badminton
- 04:30 AM: Para Archery - Ranking rounds for Harvinder Singh and Vijay Sundi (Men's Recurve), Sheetal Devi and Payal Nag (Women's Compound), and Swati Chaudhary (Women's W1).
- 05:30 AM - 07:50 AM: Para Badminton - A flurry of matches including Nitesh Kumar and Thulasimathi Murugesan in Mixed Doubles, and singles battles featuring Prem Kumar Ale, Sudarsan Muthusamy, Krishna Nagar, Sivarajan Solaimalai, Pramod Bhagat, and Sukant Kadam.
Mid-Morning: Shooting, Table Tennis, and Boccia
- 06:30 AM: Para Shooting - Qualification rounds for Men's R1 (Swaroop Unhalkar, Rakesh Nidagundi, Anandha Krishnan) and Women's R2 (Avani Lekhara, Mona Agarwal).
- 06:35 AM - 08:50 AM: Para Table Tennis - Key matches for Baby Sahana Ravi, Sonalben Patel, Ekta Bhyan, Savita Ajjanakatti, Jehan Madan, Sandeep Dangi, and Prachi Pandey.
- 07:05 AM: Boccia - Individual BC3 Pool A matches for Anjali Devi and Sachin Chamaria.
Specialized Events and Team Games
- 07:19 AM: Para Cycling - Arshad Shaikh competes in the Men's C1-2 3000m Individual Pursuit Qualifying.
- 07:32 AM: Para Swimming - Swatik Patil takes the plunge in the Men's 200m Individual Medley SM9 Heats.
- 09:00 AM: Blind Football - India faces Thailand in a crucial Men's Preliminary Round match.
- 09:15 AM: Para Archery - Ranking rounds continue with Bhawna Choudhary, Pooja Jatyan, Shyam Sundar Swami, and Toman Kumar.