India's Table Tennis Pair Takes Bronze in Nagoya Para Games

India added another medal to its tally at the Asian Para Games 2026 as Bhavina Patel and Shubham Wadhwa claimed bronze in the XD7 mixed doubles table tennis event in Nagoya on Thursday.

The Indian pair was eliminated in the semifinals by South Korea's Jang Yeongjin and Lee Migyu. The South Korean pair won the contest 11-6, 8-11, 11-5, 11-8 in terms of game scores, as the Indian pair lost 6-11, 11-8, 5-11, 8-11 in the games played. Their quarterfinal win had already assured them a medal.

In the quarterfinal, the Indian duo beat Japan's Kimi Besho and Masanori Uno in straight games. The scores of 11-9, 11-3 and 11-6 reflected their control over the match and secured their place in the semifinal round.

The semifinal against South Korea was a closely fought encounter. Bhavina and Shubham lost the second game, after which Jang and Lee pulled ahead and took charge. Although the Indian pair could not reach the final, their bronze medal marked a strong finish to their campaign.

The XD7 category is meant for wheelchair athletes with a medium level of sitting balance. It is a classification that brings together players with varied physical challenges competing at a high level.

In the XD17 mixed doubles event, Dattaprasad Chaugule and Savita could not reach the semifinals. They were defeated by Wilfredo Redulla and Mangingse Le of the Philippines in a five-game match that finished 3-2.

The Indian pair opened well by winning the first two games 11-9 and 11-9. The Filipino pair then staged a strong recovery, winning the next three games 11-2, 11-6 and 11-5. Despite the exit of Chaugule and Savita, the bronze medal by Bhavina and Shubham helped increase India's medal count further.