Aichi-Nagoya, 19 October (H.S.): Indian para archer Swati Chaudhary delivered an impressive performance on Monday at the Asian Para Games 2026, setting a new Asian Para Games record in the women’s archery ranking round. Competing in her maiden edition of the Games, Swati scored 648 points to surpass the previous record of 627 points set by China’s Minyi Chen at the 2023 Hangzhou Games.

Swati scored 332 points in the first half and 316 in the second. She hit the X ring nine times and scored 10 points on 14 occasions. Her outstanding performance gave the Indian archery contingent a strong start to the competition.

**Sheetal Devi Equals World Record**

India’s Sheetal Devi equalled the world record in the women’s compound archery ranking round, scoring 704 out of a possible 720 points. The event was held at the multipurpose field at Okazaki Chuo Sogo Park. Sheetal now shares the world record with Türkiye’s Oznur Cure.

Sheetal improved her own Asian record of 698 points, set in Bangkok earlier this year, by six points. She scored 352 points in each half of the qualification round, hitting the X ring 32 times and scoring 10 points on 25 occasions. She topped the ranking round, also surpassing her previous Asian Games record of 680 points, set at the 2023 Hangzhou Games.

Another Indian archer, Payal Nag, scored 675 points to finish joint fifth in the qualification round. She registered 334 points in the first half and 341 in the second, including 12 X-ring hits and 20 scores of 10 points.

**Sheetal and Payal Top Women’s Compound Doubles Ranking**

Sheetal Devi and Payal Nag secured first place in the women’s compound doubles ranking round with a combined score of 1,379 points. Sheetal contributed 704 points, while Payal scored 675.

In the men’s compound archery ranking round, India’s Harvinder Singh finished fifth with 631 points. He scored 310 points in the first half and 321 in the second, recording eight X-ring hits and 13 scores of 10 points.

Vijay Sundi secured seventh place with 630 points, scoring 318 in the first half and 312 in the second. His tally included six X-ring hits and 13 scores of 10 points.

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Hindusthan Samachar / Jun Sarkar