Asian Para Games: Nishad Kumar among key contenders as India eyes more medals on Day 2
After a strong start with 11 medals, India looks to Nishad Kumar and other stars to boost their tally on Day 2 of the Asian Para Games in Japan.
India has hit the ground running at the 2026 Asian Para Games in Aichi-Nagoya, Japan. After a stellar opening day that saw the Indian contingent secure 11 medals—including four gold, five silver, and two bronze—the team now sits in fourth place in the overall standings. As the action moves into Day 2, the momentum is high, and Indian para-athletes are poised to further climb the medal table across a wide array of disciplines.
Nishad Kumar: The Man to Watch
All eyes are on two-time Paralympic silver medallist Nishad Kumar, who has already made his mark by clinching gold in the men’s long jump T47 event on the first day. Kumar returns to the arena on Tuesday for the men’s high jump T45/T46/T47 final, scheduled for 4:05 PM IST, making him one of the biggest attractions of the day.
Para Athletics: A Packed Schedule
The track and field events offer numerous opportunities for India to add to its tally. The action begins early in the morning and continues throughout the day:
- Early Morning: Ayush Verma and Pradeep Kumar will compete in the men’s javelin throw F53/F54 final (5:40 AM IST), followed by Rakesh Bhai Bhatt in the men’s long jump T37/T38 final (5:45 AM IST). Praveen Sharma (shot put F11) and Parveen Kumar (discus throw F57) will follow shortly after.
- Morning & Midday: Deepthi Jeevanji will sprint in the women’s 400m T20 final (6:53 AM IST). Later, Suchitra Parida will take on the women’s javelin throw F55/F56 final (1:35 PM IST), while Pranav Soorma and Ram Ratan Singh compete in the men’s discus throw F51/F52/F53 final (1:40 PM IST).
- Afternoon Session: Sujith Mandalamkunnath will race in the men’s 100m T13 final (2:24 PM IST), and Preeti Pal will compete in the women’s 200m T35 final (3:23 PM IST).
- Evening Clashes: The day wraps up with Hokato Sema and Soman Rana in the shot put F56/F57 final (3:35 PM IST), Devender Kumar, Pardeep Kumar, and Rakesh in the discus throw F43/F44/F62/F64 final (4:17 PM IST), and Anjanaben Rohit Bumbadiya and Jayanti Behera in the women’s 200m T45/T46/T47 final (4:37 PM IST).
Dominance in the Pool and Range
India's ambitions extend beyond the track. In para swimming, the schedule is grueling: Ravi Veera Venkata Bhavan Budigina (400m freestyle S13) and Himanshu Nandal (400m freestyle S11) will dive in around 1:30 PM IST. Later, Suyash Narayan Jadhav and Niranjan Mukundan will battle in the 200m individual medley SM7 final, while Devanshi Satija competes in the women’s 100m backstroke S10 final.
In para shooting, the focus is on the 10m air pistol SH1 events. Manish Narwal, Nihal Singh, and Rudransh Khandelwal will lead the men's charge, while Bhakti Sharma, Rubina Francis, Srishti Arora, and Sumedha Pathak will represent India in the women's category. Qualifications start at 6:30 AM IST, with finals scheduled for later in the morning.
Table Tennis, Powerlifting, and Archery
The excitement continues in other sporting arenas:
Para Table Tennis
The women's singles semifinals will feature Sonalben Patel, Bhavinaben Patel, Prachi Pandey, and Baby Sahana Ravi. Should they qualify, the gold medal matches are set for 11:30 AM IST.
Para Powerlifting
Strength will be on display as Ashok (men's up to 65kg) competes at 8:30 AM IST, followed by Jhandu Kumar (men's up to 72kg) at 1:00 PM IST. In the women's category, Suman Devi and Seema Rani will fight for glory in the up to 61kg final at 2:30 PM IST.
Para Archery
The archery range will see a massive Indian presence. Stars like Sheetal Devi, Harvinder Singh, Vijay Sundi, and others will enter the individual and team elimination rounds, starting with the round of 16 at 4:45 AM IST.