Asian Para Games 2026 Schedule for October 23: India Target Record Medal Haul on Final Day

India will look to finish the Asian Para Games 2026 campaign on a high as the country’s athletes prepare for a crucial day of competition in Aichi-Nagoya. With the medal tally standing at 88, India are 21 medals short of their best-ever return at the continental para-sport event, making Friday an important opportunity to strengthen their position and close in on a new national benchmark.

The October 23 schedule features medal opportunities across para-athletics, para-badminton, para-shooting, para-archery, para-swimming, para-cycling and para-powerlifting. Several Indian competitors will contest finals, while others must first progress through qualification rounds or heats before their medal chances become clear.

Among the biggest names in action are javelin thrower Sumit Antil, club thrower Dharambir Nain, para-athlete Navdeep Singh and shooters Avani Lekhara and Mona Agarwal. Para-badminton also promises significant interest, with Pramod Bhagat and Nitesh Kumar set to meet in the men’s singles SL3 final.

India’s medal hopes: Athletes to watch on October 23

Sumit Antil leads the para-athletics charge

Sumit Antil will be one of India’s leading medal prospects when he competes in the men’s javelin throw F42-F44/F61-F64 final at 4:46 PM IST. The accomplished thrower has won Paralympic, World and Asian titles, and his appearance is among the headline events of the day’s programme.

Navdeep Singh will also feature in a javelin final, competing in the men’s F40/41 event at 3:10 PM IST alongside Ravi Rongali. Their event provides another opportunity for India to add to its athletics medal collection.

Dharambir Nain is scheduled to compete in the men’s club throw F51 final at 3:30 PM IST, alongside Pranav Soorma and Amit Kumar Saroha. With multiple Indian athletes involved in field events, para-athletics could play a major role in determining whether the country reaches its target.

Other athletics medal events throughout the day include the men’s 1500m T46 final, women’s long jump T47 final, men’s discus throw F11 final, women’s shot put F46 final, men’s javelin throw F37/38 final and men’s 400m T64 final. India’s athletes will also compete in track events, including the men’s 200m T35 and T37 finals and the men’s 100m T44 programme.

Pramod Bhagat and Nitesh Kumar meet in an all-Indian final

Para-badminton is another major attraction on Friday. Pramod Bhagat and Nitesh Kumar will face each other in the men’s singles SL3 final at 6:20 AM IST, guaranteeing an Indian competitor in the gold-medal match’s winning position and giving the country a significant opportunity to secure a medal.

The schedule also features several other Indian players in finals. Naveen Sivakumar will take on Indonesia’s Fredy Setiawan in the men’s singles SL4 final at 7:00 AM IST, while Nithya Sre Sumathy Sivan will face China’s Li Fengmei in the women’s singles SH6 final at 7:05 AM IST.

Thulasimathi Murugesan is scheduled to compete in the women’s singles SU5 final against China’s Yang Quixia at 5:30 AM IST. Later, Murugesan and Nitesh Kumar will team up for the mixed doubles SL3-SU5 final against Indonesia’s Leani Oktila and Hikmat Ramdani at 3:00 PM IST.

Thulasimathi Murugesan and Manasi Joshi are also listed for the women’s doubles SL3-SU5 final against China’s Yang Quixia and Xiao Zuxian, although the start time remains to be announced.

Avani Lekhara and Mona Agarwal lead shooting prospects

India’s para-shooters will have opportunities to compete for medals, with Avani Lekhara and Mona Agarwal scheduled for the women’s 50m rifle three positions SH1 event. Their qualification round is set for 6:30 AM IST, followed by the final at 9:15 AM IST, subject to qualification.

Nihal Singh and Amir Ahmad Bhat will compete in the P3 open 25m pistol SH1 qualification rounds. The precision stage is scheduled for 6:15 AM IST, while the rapid stage is listed for 1:00 PM IST. The final is scheduled for 2:30 PM IST, subject to qualification.

These events could offer further chances to add to India’s tally, although reaching the medal stage will depend on performances in the relevant qualification rounds.

Harvinder Singh headlines the para-archery schedule

India’s para-archers also have a busy programme. Harvinder Singh and Vijay Sundi will contest the recurve men’s doubles gold-medal match against China’s Zhao Lixue and Yun Duo at 6:45 AM IST. Earlier, Pooja Jatyan and Bhawna Choudhary are scheduled to face China’s Wang Xueqian and Gao Zihan in the recurve women’s doubles gold-medal match at 5:55 AM IST.

Harvinder Singh and Bhawna Choudhary will later compete in the recurve mixed-team semifinal against China’s Zhao Lixue and Wang Xueqian at 9:20 AM IST. If they progress, the pair are listed for the bronze-medal match at 10:10 AM IST or the gold-medal match at 10:35 AM IST, depending on the outcome of the semifinal and subsequent qualification.

Asian Para Games 2026: India’s full schedule for October 23

All times are in Indian Standard Time (IST). Finals marked as medal events offer podium opportunities, while events labelled as qualification rounds, heats or semifinals require athletes to progress before a medal can be secured. Where applicable, finals are subject to qualification.

Early morning schedule: 5:30 AM to 8:30 AM IST

Late morning schedule: 9:15 AM to 12:50 PM IST

Afternoon schedule: 1:00 PM to 3:30 PM IST

Late afternoon schedule: 3:50 PM to 5:10 PM IST

Which events could make the difference for India?

India’s medal prospects are spread across a broad range of sports, rather than depending on a single event. The para-athletics programme includes several finals, with Antil, Navdeep Singh and Dharambir Nain among the most prominent names. The number of Indian athletes competing across throwing events, track races and field disciplines gives the team multiple opportunities to improve its overall tally.

Para-badminton is another important part of the schedule, with a series of finals beginning early in the morning. The men’s singles SL3 contest between Bhagat and Nitesh is particularly notable because it guarantees Indian representation in a gold-medal match. Other Indian shuttlers will also have opportunities to compete for top honours in singles and doubles events.

In shooting, the results will depend partly on qualification, while para-archery features both scheduled gold-medal matches and a mixed-team route that includes a semifinal. Para-swimming offers additional finals in the afternoon, and India’s para-powerlifters are scheduled to compete through heats and head-to-head rounds before possible medal matches.

India’s record-haul target: What to watch

With 88 medals on the board and 21 still needed to reach the stated best-ever tally, India enter Friday with a clear objective: make the most of every available medal opportunity. The packed programme offers chances across several disciplines, but qualification requirements and the outcomes of individual contests will determine how many of those opportunities translate into medals.

The morning session is especially busy, with badminton finals, archery gold-medal matches, athletics finals and shooting qualification events scheduled within a short window. The afternoon brings another wave of opportunities, including the mixed-doubles badminton final, swimming finals, the club throw and the men’s javelin event featuring Antil.

India’s final medal count will depend on performances throughout the day. With leading Paralympic champions and emerging competitors among those listed, October 23 could prove pivotal to the country’s attempt to complete its Asian Para Games campaign with a record haul.