India Secures Additional Bronze Medals in Para Badminton at Asian Para Games 2026
India's Para Badminton Achievements
On Thursday, India enhanced its medal count in para badminton by securing three bronze medals at the Asian Para Games 2026. The athletes Krishna Nagar-Nithya Sre, Suhas Lalinakere Yathiraj, and Abhijeet Sakhuja each finished third in their respective events following semifinal losses. In the mixed doubles SH6 semifinal, Nagar and Sre faced a defeat of 0-2 against Indonesia's Rina Marlina and Subhan. Similarly, Yathiraj lost 1-2 to Fredy Setiawan from Indonesia in the men's singles SL4 semifinal, while Sakhuja was defeated 0-2 by fellow Indian Naveen Sivakumar in an all-Indian semifinal match.
The Indian duo of Krishna and Nithya lost their match with scores of 14-21 and 18-21, as the Indonesian pair secured their spot in the finals by winning both games.
In the singles semifinal, Suhas experienced a narrow loss in the first game at 21-23 but made a strong comeback in the second, winning 21-8 to force a deciding game. The final game was closely contested until the 11-point mark, after which Setiawan gained the upper hand, ultimately winning with scores of 23-21, 8-21, and 21-15.
Meanwhile, Sakhuja fell to Sivakumar with scores of 13-21 and 15-21. With these latest bronze medals, India's total medal count at the Asian Para Games now stands at 68, which includes 15 gold, 22 silver, and 31 bronze medals.
Earlier in the day, Indian para-shuttlers Manisha Ramadass and Pramod Bhagat also earned bronze in the mixed doubles SL3-SU5 event after losing their semifinal match against Indonesia's Oktila Leani Ratri and Hikmat Ramdani. The Indian pair lost with scores of 21-16, 13-21, and 17-21 after winning the first game.
Athletics and Archery Success
In athletics, Dilip Gavit and Bhavik Bharwad qualified for the men's 400m T47 final, clocking times of 50.21 seconds and 49.05 seconds, respectively.
Ravanni Valasanaini also made it to the women's 400m T11 final with a personal best of 1:03.80.
Suvarna Raj's Golden Performance
Earlier, Suvarna Raj clinched the gold medal in the women’s discus throw F54 event with a remarkable throw of 15.66 meters, marking the first gold medal for India on Thursday. In a field of six competitors, Suvarna consistently performed well, achieving four throws over 15 meters during her six attempts. Her gold-winning throw came on her fifth attempt, allowing her to secure the top position on the podium and contribute another gold to India's medal tally at this continental para-sporting event.
Additionally, para-archer Swati Chaudhary earned a silver medal in the women’s W1 individual archery event after a close match against China's Mengkan Cen, finishing with a score of 4-6.