Asian Para Games 2026: Swati Chaudhary Scripts History With India’s First-Ever W1 Archery Medal

India’s Swati Chaudhary scripted history at the Asian Para Games 2026 on Thursday, becoming the country’s first medallist in the W1 category of archery. The 37-year-old had to settle for silver after China’s Cen Mengkan overturned a deficit to win the women’s individual final 6-4.

Chaudhary, the top seed in the competition, appeared on course for the gold medal after establishing a 4-2 lead. However, Mengkan produced a decisive late surge, winning the final two sets to complete the comeback and claim the title.

The Indian, who trains under Athens Olympian Satyadev Prasad at the Gurukul Archery Academy in Meerut, made an encouraging start to the contest.

She won the opening set 25-17 after her Chinese opponent missed the mark with one of her arrows, taking an early 2-0 advantage in the set-point scoring format.

Mengkan responded in the second set, capitalising on Chaudhary’s inconsistent shooting. The Indian managed scores of five and six on two of her arrows, allowing the Chinese archer to edge the set 22-21 and bring the match level at 2-2.

Chaudhary regained the advantage in the third set as Mengkan struggled to find consistency, scoring eight, seven and six with her three arrows. The Indian took the set 22-21 to move ahead 4-2, putting herself within one set of victory.

However, the contest changed dramatically in the fourth set. Mengkan found her rhythm at a crucial stage, hitting three consecutive 10s to register a perfect score of 30. Chaudhary managed 20, handing the Chinese archer the set and bringing the score to 4-4.

With the championship on the line, Mengkan maintained her composure in the deciding set. The Chinese archer scored 28, while Chaudhary finished with 21, allowing Mengkan to secure the set 28-21 and complete a 6-4 victory. The result earned Mengkan her maiden Asian Para Games gold medal, while Chaudhary took home a historic silver for India.

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Swati Chaudhary's Rise In Para Archery

The silver medal marks another significant milestone in Chaudhary’s career, which has featured consistent performances despite financial challenges that have restricted her opportunities to attend major international trials.

Ranked 23rd in the world, Mengkan proved a formidable opponent, but Chaudhary’s performance in the final underlined her ability to compete at the highest level. The Indian had also secured a bronze medal at the World Archery Para Series in Ahmedabad last month.

Her international record includes an impressive showing at the World Archery Para Series in Bangkok in 2026, where she won three silver medals across the women’s W1 individual, women’s W1 team and W1 mixed team events.

At the domestic level, Chaudhary won gold in the women’s W1 event at both the 2025 Para Archery National Championships and the Khelo India Para Games 2025. Those results helped establish her as one of India’s leading competitors in the category.

Chaudhary’s campaign receives financial support through the government’s Annual Calendar for Training and Competition (ACTC) scheme. According to the details provided, she has been allocated Rs 51,99,651 towards training and competition expenses.

Understanding The W1 Archery Category

The W1 classification is designed for archers with severe impairments affecting both their upper and lower limbs. It includes athletes with conditions such as tetraplegia and other impairments that significantly affect muscle power and limb function.

Competing in this category requires athletes to adapt their shooting techniques to their functional abilities while maintaining accuracy and consistency under pressure.

Although Chaudhary fell short of the gold medal after leading the final, her performance secured a place in Indian para-archery history. Her silver medal at the Asian Para Games 2026 represents the country's first-ever podium finish in the W1 archery category.