India Wins 11 Medals on Day 1 of Asian Para Games 2026, Sits Fourth in Standings

Mona Agarwal, Rinku and Soumya Kumar B. lead India’s gold-medal charge as Sheetal Devi and Toman Kumar set a world record in para archery

Khel Today Bureau 

AICHI-NAGOYA, October 19, 2026: India made a strong start to its campaign at the 5th Asian Para Games 2026, winning 11 medals, including four gold, five silver and two bronze, on the opening day of competition to sit fourth in the overall medal standings.

Indian para-athletes delivered outstanding performances across disciplines, including para shooting, para athletics, para archery and para judo, combining medal-winning performances with record-breaking achievements to set the tone for India’s campaign at the continental showpiece.

India’s campaign was headlined by a remarkable one-two finish in para shooting, a world record in para archery and another Indian one-two in the men’s javelin throw.

In para shooting, Mona Agarwal clinched gold in the Women’s 10m Air Rifle Standing SH1 (R2), registering a score of 250.0 to establish a new Asian Para Games record. India’s Avani Lekhara secured silver with 249.6 points, ensuring a memorable one-two finish for the country in the event.

India also witnessed a historic moment in para archery, with Sheetal Devi and Toman Kumar setting a new world record in the mixed team compound ranking round. The Indian duo combined for an impressive 1,402 points, surpassing the previous world record of 1,400 points and underlining India’s growing strength in the discipline.

In para athletics, Rinku won gold in the Men’s Javelin Throw F46 with a best effort of 65.11 metres, while Ajeet Singh secured silver with a throw of 65.02 metres. The result delivered another one-two finish for India and added valuable medals to the country’s tally.

Soumya Kumar B. continued India’s strong showing by winning gold in the Women’s 1500m T12/13 final, clocking a personal-best time of 5:12.39. Radha Venkatesh followed her compatriot across the finish line to claim silver in 5:30.90, completing another memorable result for the Indian contingent.

In para judo, Kokila secured a silver medal, adding to India’s growing medal count on the opening day. Kapil Parmar, meanwhile, registered an important quarterfinal victory in the Men’s J1 -70kg category as he continued his campaign.

With four gold, five silver and two bronze medals, India ended the opening day in fourth place in the overall standings, behind China, Japan and Uzbekistan.

The opening-day performance reflects the preparation, determination and competitive spirit of India’s para-athletes, who have arrived in Aichi-Nagoya aiming to deliver a strong performance against the continent’s best.

As competition continues through October 24, India will look to build on this promising start, with its athletes targeting further podium finishes and new milestones across the remaining days of the Games.

About the 5th Asian Para Games 2026

The 5th Asian Para Games are being held in Aichi-Nagoya, Japan, from October 18 to 24, 2026, bringing together para-athletes from across Asia to compete across multiple sports. India has fielded 168 athletes across 11 sports, with the contingent aiming to make a strong impact at the continental event.