Asian Para Games: Jhandu Kumar Misses Podium, but India's Medal Tally Surges
India reaches 24 medals at the Asian Para Games. Himanshu Nandal wins bronze, while Sheetal Devi and Payal Nag storm into the archery final.
India's campaign at the Asian Para Games continues to bring a mix of high-octane triumphs and tough challenges. While Commonwealth Games bronze medalist Jhandu Kumar faced a difficult outing in the powerlifting arena, other Indian athletes have stepped up to push the nation's medal tally to an impressive 24, comprising five golds, eight silvers, and 11 bronzes.
Powerlifting: A Tough Day for Jhandu Kumar
Para-powerlifter Jhandu Kumar, who had recently captured attention with a bronze at the Glasgow CWG, finished fifth in the men's up to 72 kg final. Jhandu managed a best lift of 190 kg but was unable to secure a podium finish after failing twice in his attempts to lift 195 kg.
The gold medal in this category was dominated by Malaysia's Bonnie Bunyau with a massive lift of 225 kg. China's Zhang Pingkang took silver (212 kg), and Iran's Mohsen Bakhtiar claimed the bronze (208 kg).
However, there was a silver lining in powerlifting as Ashok secured a silver medal in the men's 65 kg category. Ashok put up a strong fight with a best lift of 192 kg, finishing second to China's Zou Yi, who clinched gold with a lift of 216 kg.
Swimming and Shooting: Bronze and Silver Success
In the pool, para-swimmer Himanshu Nandal added to India's glory by securing a bronze medal in the men's 400 m freestyle S11 category. Himanshu clocked 5:10.91 to take third place, trailing behind gold medalist Chuanzhen Sun of China, who set a new Asian record, and silver medalist Uchu Tomita of Japan.
Meanwhile, Ravi Karthik Budigina, who had previously won silver in the 100 m freestyle S13, finished sixth in the 400 m freestyle S13 event with a time of 5:41.70.
The shooting range also saw Indian flags flying high:
- Shristi Arora clinched a bronze in the women's 10 m air pistol SH1, finishing with a score of 214.7. She finished behind Iran's Faezeh Ahmadi (Gold) and Sareh Javanmardi (Silver).
- Manish Narwal secured a silver medal in the men's 10 m air pistol SH1. Narwal scored 233.7, finishing behind South Korea's world record holder Jo Jeongdu.
- Rudranksh Khandelwal finished seventh in the same event but achieved a significant milestone by securing a quota for India for the Los Angeles Paralympics 2028.
Archery: Gold Within Reach
India's archery contingent is on a roll. The duo of Sheetal Devi and Payal Nag delivered a commanding performance in the para compound women's doubles semifinal. They defeated Thailand's Phannibha Srathongmaew and Wasana Khuthawisap with a score of 151–135.
This victory ensures at least a silver medal for India, with the duo now set to face China in the gold medal match on October 21.
Table Tennis Triumph
In para-table tennis, Jehan Madan managed to secure a silver medal in the men's singles class 1. Despite finishing fourth in his group, the structure of the competition allowed him to take home the silver after beating compatriot Sandeep Dangi.