Sheetal Devi and Payal Nag claimed a silver medal in the Para Compound women's doubles event at the Asian Para Games Aichi-Nagoya 2026 in Nagoya, Japan on Wednesday, 21 October. The Indian pair put up a determined display in the final but were edged out by China's Xu Xueqing and Zhao Jing, who prevailed 150–141.

A campaign of record-breaking performances

Before the final, Sheetal had set the tone for India with a stunning opening. On Monday, she equalled the world record in the compound women's individual qualification. She then partnered Payal in the women's doubles qualification, where the pair combined for a score of 1379, setting both new Asian and Games records and surpassing the previous Asian mark of 1378. Payal contributed 675 points to that total, helping the duo top the women's doubles rankings.

Sheetal and Kumar shatter mixed team world record

In the mixed team event, Sheetal teamed up with Toman Kumar in Okazaki, where records continued to tumble. The 18-year-old scored 704 out of a possible 720, matching the world record held by Türkiye's Oznur Cure Girdi. In doing so, she also surpassed her own Asian record of 698, set in Bangkok in March, and raised the Asian Para Games record from 680 to 704. As reigning world champions and world number ones, Sheetal and Kumar then combined for 1402 points in the mixed team qualification, breaking the previous world record of 1400 — itself set by India.

Who is Payal Nag — the quadruple-amputee archer from Odisha

Payal Nag, 18, hails from Balangir, Odisha. She lost all four limbs in a high-voltage electrocution accident at a young age. Undeterred, she learned to perform daily activities using her mouth and later took up archery, inspired by Sheetal Devi. She competes using a specialised mouth-operated mechanism and customised equipment, and is among the first athletes in the world with quadruple limb loss to compete successfully at the international level.

Payal rose to prominence in 2025 with podium finishes at the Indian Para Archery Championships and a silver medal at the 2nd Khelo India Games 2025. She made her international debut at the 2025 Asian Youth Para Games in Dubai, marking a pivotal step in what is already a remarkable career.

What comes next for India at Nagoya

Despite the silver, India's archery contingent has delivered a series of historic performances across qualification and team rounds at Nagoya. With Sheetal and Kumar still in contention across individual and mixed team finals, India's medal haul at the Asian Para Games Aichi-Nagoya 2026 could grow further before the Games conclude. This campaign already signals India's emergence as a dominant force in para archery on the Asian stage.