Visually Impaired Swimmer Nandal Wins Three Bronze Medals

Nagoya, Japan, October 23: A disappointing fourth-place finish in the men's 100m backstroke at the Asian Para Games 2026 hit Indian para-swimmer Himanshu Nandal hard, and he had to talk himself into moving on. That shift in mindset helped the 22-year-old recover and finish his Games with three bronze medals in Aichi-Nagoya.

The backstroke result had been a significant setback. With five more events left in his programme, Nandal chose to look ahead instead of dwelling on what had gone wrong.

"100m backstroke was one of my main events and I had been waiting for it for the last two years," he said in an interview. "I wanted to compete and give my personal best because I am very passionate about this event. I don't know why, but my body was not cooperating that day. Things did not go well, I could not give my personal best, and I felt terrible."

He said he made an effort to reset the following day. "I tried to convince myself to focus on the upcoming events, because five were still left. The disappointment stayed in my mind, but I worked harder for the next events and concentrated on what I had to do."

The focus paid off. Nandal won bronze in the men's 400m freestyle S11, the 100m breaststroke S11 and the 100m freestyle S11. His last podium finish came on Friday, when he took third in the 100m freestyle with a time of 1 minute 5.90 seconds. Japan's Uchu Tomita claimed gold in a Games record 58.22 seconds, and China's Chuanzhen Sun finished second in 58.70 seconds.

His medal streak began on Tuesday with a 5:10.91 time in the 400m freestyle. Nandal said the 100m breaststroke was the most challenging race of the Games, as the difference between the bronze medallist and the fourth-placed swimmer was only a matter of microseconds.

"The best and most challenging race for me was the 100m breaststroke, because the gap between bronze and fourth place was very small, just a few microseconds, like a hair's width," he said. "The 400m freestyle was also challenging, because I was trying to overcome the disappointment of the first day, and I had to perform. That is what happened. I have three medals so far, and all of them are bronze."

For Nandal, these medals mean much more than a successful week in Japan. They mark another milestone in a sporting path that started in judo. He moved to swimming in 2021, a decision that brought him to the international stage and helped him earn a crucial qualification.

Nandal has been visually impaired since birth due to optic nerve failure. He grew up in Rohtak, Haryana, in a household with a strong sporting background, as his father had represented India in hockey at the national level. At four, he moved to Delhi and joined the National Association for the Blind, where he learned Braille.

He first competed in judo and won national medals before switching to swimming. His interest in the pool grew steadily, and swimming coaches encouraged him, believing he could excel in the water.

"After leaving judo, my interest in swimming increased a lot," he said. "My father kept getting suggestions from swimming coaches that I should try it. They tested my ability in the water and said I could do well." The change brought challenges, including a water allergy that proved to be a major obstacle while he was establishing himself in the sport.

His progress accelerated over time. In 2024, Nandal became the first visually impaired Indian swimmer to achieve the minimum qualification standard for the Paris Paralympics. He gained more international experience and reached two finals at the 2025 World Para Swimming Championships in Singapore.

Nandal graduated in political science from Atma Ram Sanatan Dharma College of Delhi University and is now considering a course in sports management. He wants to link his academic interests with the sport that has been central to his life.

"I am thinking about sports management, because studying something related to sports would be interesting, especially since I am already involved with sports in practical terms," he said. "Doing both would be fun."

In the S11 classification for visually impaired swimmers, Nandal follows the same training routine as other swimmers, with extra help to swim safely and stay in his lane. Usually, two tappers stand at either end of the pool. If two are not available, one tapper must walk beside him for about four kilometres or for the length of the workout. Because he cannot see, he follows the lane lines and touches them after every third or fourth stroke.

"Training is largely normal, the only difference is that two tappers stand at either side of the pool," he said. "If two are not available, one tapper has to walk along for about four kilometres or for the whole workout. Since we cannot see, we have to move along the lane lines. That is the main difference, and the rest is almost the same."

Having established himself among India's leading para-swimmers, Nandal is now working on improving his timing. He believes steady progress will bring him closer to the top of the podium. "My next big target is to beat my own personal best," he said. "If I keep improving my personal best, I will get closer to a gold medal."