Gold Rush in Japan: Indian Para-Archers Return Home After Historic Campaign
Sheetal Devi, Harvinder Singh, and Vijay Sundi lead India's record-breaking para-archery campaign at the Asian Para Games 2026.
The Indian para-archery contingent returned to New Delhi on Sunday to a hero's welcome at the airport, following a stellar performance at the Asian Para Games 2026 held in Aichi-Nagoya, Japan. The athletes, who pushed boundaries and shattered records, were greeted with immense pride after contributing significantly to India's most successful campaign in the history of the games.
Sheetal Devi: The Record-Breaking Sensation
World No. 1 Sheetal Devi emerged as the standout star of the event, securing a remarkable haul of medals. Devi clinched two gold medals, dominating both the women’s compound individual and the mixed team events. In the individual final, she displayed nerves of steel to defeat Singapore’s Alim Nur Syahidah with a score of 142-139, successfully retaining her title.
Her success continued in the mixed team event, where she partnered with Toman Kumar to edge out Indonesia 151-148 in a thrilling final. Adding to her tally, Devi also secured a silver medal in the women’s compound doubles alongside Payal Nag.
“We’re really happy that we went there and achieved what we set out to do. Even when things weren’t working, we stuck to the same practice routines. All the hard work we put in throughout the year paid off in a single day,” Sheetal Devi shared.
Men's Recurve Dominance
The men's recurve doubles event saw another gold-medal victory for India. The duo of Harvinder Singh and Vijay Sundi delivered a clinical performance to defeat China 5-1. After a tightly contested opening set that ended in a 35-35 tie, the Indian pair took control, winning the subsequent sets 37-36 and 38-36 to seal the gold.
For Harvinder Singh, the victory was a personal milestone as he upgraded his previous record of a bronze to a gold. He attributed the success to the consistent support provided by the Archery federation.
Vijay Sundi, competing in his first Asian Games, expressed his gratitude for the mentorship of the veteran Singh. Sundi noted that their synergy was built over three consecutive World Series tournaments, and praised Singh's experience as an Olympic champion for guiding them through the pressure of the competition.
Historic Firsts and Silver Success
Beyond the golds, India made history in the women's recurve doubles. Pooja Jatyan and Bhawna Choudhary secured a silver medal, marking the first time India has ever medaled in this specific event at the Asian Para Games.
Additional silver medals were also bagged by Sheetal Devi, Harvinder Singh, and Vijay Sundi in their respective categories, showcasing the depth and versatility of the Indian archery squad.
A Record-Breaking Campaign for India
The brilliance of the archers was part of a larger, historic trend for the Indian contingent. India concluded the Asian Para Games 2026 with a record-breaking total of 114 medals, consisting of:
- Gold: 30
- Silver: 35
- Bronze: 49
This tally surpasses the 108 medals won in the 2022 edition. What makes this achievement even more impressive is that India achieved these results with a significantly smaller contingent. Only 168 para-athletes represented India in Aichi-Nagoya, compared to the 309 athletes who traveled to Hangzhou for the previous games.
The success spanned multiple disciplines, with world-record performances and podium sweeps seen in para-athletics, para-badminton, shooting, table tennis, swimming, and para-archery.