India’s Kapil Kumar won silver in the men’s 400m freestyle S10 at the Asian Para Games 2026, clocking 4:38.44. India also secured medals in para table tennis, badminton and archery, highlighting a productive campaign across multiple para-sports disciplines.
Indian para-swimmer Kapil Kumar secured a silver medal in the men’s 400m freestyle S10 final at the Asian Para Games 2026 on Thursday, delivering a strong performance to finish second with a time of 4 minutes 38.44 seconds. His achievement added another podium finish to India’s campaign at the continental sporting event being held in Japan from October 18 to 24.
Japan’s Akito Minai claimed the gold medal in the event, setting a new Games record with an impressive timing of 4:27.44. Iran’s Shahin Izadyar finished third, securing the bronze medal in 4:38.65.
Kapil competed against four other swimmers in the final and maintained his position among the leading contenders throughout the race. Although Minai established a considerable advantage to secure the top position, the Indian swimmer held on to second place, finishing narrowly ahead of Izadyar.
Kapil’s timing of 4:38.44 was just 0.21 seconds faster than the Iranian swimmer’s bronze-winning performance, highlighting the close contest for the remaining podium position. The silver medal marked a significant achievement for the Indian swimmer and concluded his campaign at the Games.
The S10 classification in para swimming is intended for athletes with certain physical impairments, generally involving relatively minor limitations compared with some other classifications. Depending on the athlete, these impairments may include muscle weakness, missing feet, certain below-knee amputations or hip-related impairments.
In para swimming, the prefix S is used for freestyle, backstroke and butterfly events, while SB denotes breaststroke and SM refers to individual medley competitions. These classifications help ensure that athletes compete against others with comparable levels of activity limitation.
India also recorded encouraging performances in other para-sports disciplines on Thursday, with athletes securing medals and reaching finals in table tennis, badminton and archery.
In para table tennis, Bhavina Patel and Subham Wadhwa won bronze in the mixed doubles XD7 category. The Indian pair reached the semifinals after defeating Japan’s Kimie Bessho and Masanori Uno in straight games. However, their campaign ended in the last four following a defeat against South Korea’s Jang Yeongjin and Lee Migyu.
Despite missing out on a place in the final, the Indian duo secured a podium finish in the competition, adding another medal to the country’s overall tally.
Indian para-badminton player Thulasimathi Murugesan also progressed to the women’s SU5 final after defeating compatriot Manisha Ramadass in an all-Indian semifinal. Thulasimathi recovered from losing the opening game to register a 19-21, 21-15, 21-13 victory. Ramadass finished with the bronze medal.
Meanwhile, archer Sheetal Devi continued her impressive campaign at the Aichi-Nagoya Games by winning gold medals in both the compound archery mixed team and individual events. The achievements added to her medal collection at the continental competition. She had also secured silver in the women’s doubles event alongside Payal Nag.
| Also Read: Shai Hope’s Unbeaten Century Powers West Indies to Victory Over India |
Kapil Kumar’s silver medal, alongside India’s achievements in para table tennis, badminton and archery, underlined the country’s continued participation across multiple disciplines at the Asian Para Games 2026.
The competition brings together athletes from across Asia in a range of para-sports, providing a platform for athletes with disabilities to demonstrate their skills and compete for continental honours. India’s performances across swimming, racket sports and archery have contributed to its medal campaign in Aichi-Nagoya, Japan.
