India continued its strong showing at the Asian Para Games 2026, adding 12 medals on Day 3 to take its overall tally to 49, on Wednesday (October 21). Praveen Kumar set a Games record in the men’s high jump, Indian athletes swept all three medals in the men’s shot put F46 event, and the country added silver medals in powerlifting and compound archery.

India was also assured of three medals in men’s singles SL4 badminton after three shuttlers advanced to the semifinals. Currently, India is ranking fifth in the medal tally.

Praveen sets Games record in high jump

Praveen Kumar won gold in the men’s high jump T44/64 event with a Games record, while compatriot Banti claimed silver. Praveen cleared 2.05 metres, while Banti registered a personal best of 1.92 metres. Uzbekistan’s Temurbek Giyazov finished third with 1.86 metres.

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The T64 classification is for athletes who run with a prosthetic lower limb, while T44 covers athletes with lower-limb impairments who compete using their anatomical limbs without prostheses. The two events are generally conducted together.

India sweeps shot put medals

India secured all three medals in the men’s shot put F46 event, with Sachin Sarjerao Khilari winning gold with a Games record.

The Paris Paralympics silver medallist defended the title he won at the previous edition in China, registering a best throw of 15.87 metres in his sixth and final attempt. He broke the previous Games record of 15.67 metres.

Mohd Yasser won silver with a throw of 15.06 metres in the third round, while Parveen took bronze with 14.94 metres.

The F46 classification covers field athletes with an above- or below-elbow amputation, or an equivalent upper-limb impairment.

Ayush adds second medal

Ayush Verma won gold in the men’s shot put F53 event with a throw of 8.16 metres in his fifth attempt. Iran’s Alireza Hemami took silver with 8.09 metres, while Kazakhstan’s Makhambet Serikkaliyev claimed bronze with 6.81 metres.

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Ayush had earlier won bronze in the men’s javelin throw F53/F54 event on Tuesday.

The F53 classification is for field athletes with significant movement limitations in the trunk and legs, but relatively limited impairment in hand grip.

Three badminton medals assured

India secured at least three medals in the men’s singles SL4 badminton event after defending champion Suhas LY, Naveen Sivakumar and Abhijeet Sakhuja advanced to the semifinals on Wednesday.

Suhas, the world No. 1 and an IAS officer, defeated South Korea’s Cho Nadan 21-12, 21-16 to set up a semifinal clash with Indonesia’s Fredy Setiawan. Setiawan defeated India’s Sukant Kadam 21-17, 18-21, 21-15 in the quarterfinals.

The other semifinal will be an all-Indian contest between Naveen and Abhijeet. Naveen beat South Korea’s Shin Kyung Hwan 21-14, 21-4, while Abhijeet defeated compatriot Surya Kant Yadav 21-16, 21-12.

The SL4 classification is for badminton players with lower-limb impairments who have better walking and running balance than athletes in the more severely affected SL3 category.

Kasthuri wins powerlifting silver

Tamil Nadu’s Kasthuri Rajamani won silver in the women’s 67kg powerlifting category, securing India’s second medal in the sport at the Games.

The 42-year-old lifted 108kg in her third and final attempt to finish second after South Korea’s Kim Hyeonghui managed a best of 107kg and settled for bronze. Uzbekistan’s Rukhshona Uktamova won gold with a best lift of 127kg.

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Kasthuri had finished fifth at the previous edition of the Asian Para Games.

Sheetal, Payal take archery silver

The Indian pair of Sheetal Devi and Payal Nag won silver in the women’s compound doubles event after losing 141-150 to China’s Xu Xueqing and Zhao Jing in the final.

Sheetal, who was born without arms, and Payal, a quadruple amputee, struggled to keep pace with the Chinese pair after the opening end and were unable to close the gap.

Sheetal, a Paris Paralympics bronze medallist, shot four 10s, while Asian Games debutant Payal was less consistent. The silver was Sheetal’s second consecutive runner-up finish in the event, having won silver at the previous edition with Sarita Devi. She remains in contention for gold in the individual event.

In the men’s compound doubles, India’s Toman Kumar and Shyam Sunder Swami narrowly missed out on bronze, losing 153-154 to China’s Ai Xinliang and Zhang Yicheng.

(With agency inputs)