Himanshu Nandal Celebrates Historic Medal Achievement at Asian Para Games 2026
Himanshu Nandal Dedicates Historic Medal Treble to Nation
Indian para-swimmer Himanshu Nandal has dedicated his remarkable achievement of winning three bronze medals at the Asian Para Games 2026 to his country and the dedicated support staff behind his success. This accomplishment took place during the continental event held in Aichi-Nagoya, Japan, where Nandal secured his third bronze in the men's 100m freestyle S11 event on Friday. The Indian para-swimming team concluded the games with a total of 11 medals, a significant improvement from the single bronze they earned in the last edition.
Performance Breakdown and S11 Classification
In an interview, Nandal expressed his happiness with his performance, noting that he achieved personal best times. He emphasized the narrow margins that determined his medal in the 100m breaststroke, stating, "It feels wonderful. I also achieved personal bests, and I managed to secure three bronze medals. I would like to dedicate this achievement to the nation and to my support staff, who worked so hard and with such dedication to make this possible." He added, "The 100-metre breaststroke was the most challenging. The race was so intense that the finish came down to mere microseconds. If I had been even a fraction further behind—by a distance no greater than the thickness of a strand of hair—I would have lost the medal."
The 22-year-old swimmer, who was born blind due to optic nerve failure, completed the men's 100m freestyle S11 event in one minute and 5.90 seconds. Japan's Uchu Tomita took gold with a Games-record time of 58.22 seconds, while China's Chuanzhen Sun secured silver in 58.70 seconds. Earlier, Nandal had also won bronze in the men's 400m freestyle and 100m breaststroke S11 events, starting his medal tally on Tuesday with a time of 5:10.91 in the 400m freestyle.
Nandal’s Journey to Sporting Excellence
The S11 classification is designated for swimmers with severe visual impairments, including those with very low visual acuity or no light perception. Nandal and fellow swimmer Ravi Budigina emerged as India's top performers in the pool, each winning three medals. Budigina earned silver in the men's S13 100m backstroke and freestyle events, along with a bronze in the men's 50m freestyle. The Indian para-swimming team concluded its campaign with three silver and eight bronze medals, marking a significant increase from the single bronze won in the previous edition.
Nandal's journey in sports began in a family with a strong athletic background in Rohtak, Haryana, where his father played hockey at the national level. At the age of four, he relocated to Delhi and joined the National Association for the Blind, where he learned Braille. Initially, he competed in judo, winning national-level medals before transitioning to swimming in 2021. His dedication in the pool has made him the first Indian blind swimmer to meet the Minimum Qualification Standard for the Paris Paralympics in 2024.