In Brief
- Sheetal Devi and Toman Kumar claimed India's opening gold medal in para archery at the 2026 edition in Aichi-Nagoya.
- The top-seeded pair set a new world record score of 1,402 points in the qualification round prior to their final victory.
- India maintained control through four ends, defeating Indonesia's Teodora Audi Ayudia Ferelly and Ken Swagumilang 151–148 at the Okazaki Chuo Sogo Park Multipurpose Square.
Command Performance Opens India's Archery Gold Tally
On Thursday, October 22, 2026, Indian para archers Sheetal Devi and Toman Kumar delivered a disciplined performance to claim the gold medal in the compound mixed team event at the Asian Para Games in Aichi-Nagoya, Japan. The top-seeded duo defeated Indonesia's Teodora Audi Ayudia Ferelly and Ken Swagumilang by a score of 151–148, marking India’s first gold medal in archery at this edition of the Games.
The pair entered the elimination rounds with momentum, having set a world record score of 1,402 points during the qualification phase—surpassing the previous world mark by two points.
End-by-End Final Breakdown
Competing at the Okazaki Chuo Sogo Park Multipurpose Square, Sheetal and Toman established an early advantage and held off a late push from the Indonesian pair.
| Match Segment | India (Sheetal / Toman) | Indonesia (Ferelly / Swagumilang) | Running Margin |
| End 1 | 38 | 37 | India +1 (38–37) |
| End 2 | 39 | 36 | India +4 (77–73) |
| End 3 | 36 | 37 | India +3 (113–110) |
| End 4 | 38 | 38 | India Wins 151–148 |
The Indian duo took a 38–37 lead after the opening end and widened the margin to four points with a strong 39-point display in the second. Despite a brief drop to 36 points in the third end, they preserved a three-point cushion before closing out the gold medal match with a final end score of 38.
Tournament Context and Next Steps
The victory added crucial momentum to India's medal tally on Day 4 of the multi-sport continental competition. Following their mixed team triumph, both archers transitioned directly into their individual compound medal matches scheduled for later in the day, with Sheetal competing in the women's individual final and Toman featuring in the men's individual bronze medal match.
