Sheetal Devi Equals World Record as Kokila Assures Judo Medal
Record Breaking Archery Feat by Sheetal Devi
Indian para archery star Sheetal Devi delivered an exceptional performance on the opening day of the Asian Para Games in Aichi-Nagoya. Sheetal Devi equals the World Record in para-archery to headline a spectacular opening campaign for the national contingent. Competing in the Women's Compound qualification round, the teenage sensation shot a historic score of 704 points. The world record equaling total ensured that Sheetal Devi takes the top seed by finishing first overall in the individual ranking round. In the women's W1 archery category, India's Swati Chaudhary secured the top seed by dominating her ranking round.
In 2024, Sheetal Devi demonstrated her armless archery technique in Paris, shooting with her legs due to being born without arms.
In the qualification round, compatriot Payal Nag scored 675 points to finish joint fifth in the standings.
Her prior international achievements include claiming gold in the compound individual category at the previous continental gathering and earning a bronze medal at the Paris Paralympics.
Historic Judo Breakthrough by Judoka Kokila
India celebrated a historic milestone on the tatami as Indian judoka Kokila stunned reigning world champion Yi Liu of China in the semifinals. The sensational victory in the women's J2 -52kg event assured India of at least a silver medal. Kokila won the semifinal by a golden score to book her place in the prestigious gold medal bout. During the hard fought tactical bout, Kokila scored one Waza-ari and one Yuko to overcome her formidable Chinese opponent. Paris Paralympics bronze medallist Kapil Parmar also advanced to the semifinals of the men's J1 -70kg judo competition.
Mixed Fortunes on the Shooting Ranges
On the shooting range, India experienced a narrow medal miss in the men's 10m air rifle standing SH1 final. Indian marksman Swaroop Mahavir Unhalkar finished fourth in the medal round with an aggregate score of 205.9 points. Earlier in qualification, Indian female shooters produced a commanding performance in the women's 10m air rifle standing SH1 event. Mona topped the qualification round with a score of 629.1 points to establish her medal contention. Paralympic champion Avani Lekhara secured second position behind Mona with a qualifying score of 626.4 points. In the preliminary round, Rakesh Nidagundi and Swaroop Unhalkar qualified for the men's 10m air rifle final by securing seventh and eighth positions.
Strong Campaign Openers Across Racket Sports
Indian table tennis players enjoyed a stellar start at the 2026 Asian Para Games with consecutive group stage wins. Experienced paddler Sonalben Patel maintained an unbeaten run in women's singles table tennis fixtures. In para badminton action, China's Lin Naili halted Krishna Nagar's unbeaten run in the men's singles SH6 group stage despite a spirited second game. The strong showing across sports marks an encouraging start for India's 166-athlete delegation participating across 10 disciplines. National sports administrators expressed confidence that India's para-athletes will build on the country's remarkable rise in international para-sports during the week.