India’s Mona Agarwal set a new Asian Para Games qualification record in the women’s 10m Air Rifle Standing SH1 event at the 2026 Asian Para Games in Nagoya on Monday, while compatriot Avani Lekhara finished second to secure a one-two finish for the country ahead of the final.
Agarwal topped the qualification standings with 629.1 points across six series, surpassing the previous Asian Para Games record held by China’s Zhang Cuiping. Her score was just 0.3 points short of the world record of 629.4, jointly held by Lekhara and Slovakia’s Veronika Vadovicova.
Lekhara registered 626.4 points to finish second, strengthening India’s prospects of securing two medals in the event.
Both shooters are Paralympic medallists, with Lekhara winning gold and Agarwal claiming bronze at the 2024 Paris Paralympics.
India also secured two places in the men’s 10m Air Rifle Standing SH1 final. Rakesh Nidagundi finished seventh with 619.3 points, while Swaroop Unhalkar qualified eighth with 617.4 points.
However, Anandha Krishnan missed out on a place in the final after finishing 13th with 605.2 points.
Meanwhile, India’s para-archery campaign also began on a strong note, with Sheetal Devi equalling the world record in the women’s compound qualification round.
The 19-year-old scored 704 out of a possible 720 points, matching the world record and improving the previous Asian record of 698 by six points.
Sheetal, the reigning world champion and a bronze medallist at the Paris Paralympics, will look to maintain her form in the elimination rounds.
Fellow Indian archer Payal Nag also delivered an impressive performance, scoring 675 points to finish joint fifth in the women’s compound qualification standings.
The performances in shooting and archery marked an encouraging start for India in Monday’s events at the Aichi-Nagoya Asian Para Games, with several athletes advancing to the medal rounds.
(IANS Inputs)
