India’s Kokila made it to finals in 52 kgs bout at the 2026 Para Asian Games on Aichi Nagoya on Monday, defeating China’s reigning world champion Yi Liu in a tense semi-final to guarantee herself at least a silver medal.
The visually impaired Indian judoka at the Aichi Prefectural martial arts hall held the nerve against a formidable opponent to secure a 1-0 victory, advancing to the final where she will face Kyrgyzstan’s Aibike Ulanbek Kize, later in the day. Kokila registered a waza-ari, the second highest technical score in judo, along with a yuko for an effective technique. Liu, meanwhile, managed a waza-ari during the bout, but Kokila received a shido penalty for a minor rule infringement.
The advancement marks a significant achievement for Kokila, who had claimed a bronze in the women’s 48 kg category at the previous edition of the Asian Para Games in Hangzhou. Competing in a different weight category altogether this time, India has secured a place in the title clash and has an opportunity to upgrade the medal. Previously she has represented India at Paris 2024 Paralympics. Her performance against Liu, one of the leading competitors in the discipline, will prove a boost ahead of the finale.
The J2 classification in the para judo is designed for athletes with visual impairments, with competitors relying on their technical ability, balance, and tactile awareness to gain the advantage on the mat. Meanwhile, India’s Kapil Parmar will compete for the bronze medal in the men’s J1 70 kg category. falling short in his semi-final against Indonesia’s Junaedi.
Earlier in the day Indian para-archer Swati Choudhary set a new Asian Para Games record by scoring 648 points in the women’s ranking round on Monday. Making her debut at the 2023 Para Games, Swati recorded nine Xs and 14 10s, scoring 332 points in the first half and 316 in the second. Her total surpassed a record set by China’s Minyu Xu at the 2023 Hangzhou Games.
Sheetal Devi equalled the world record in women’s compound archery ranking round, scoring 704 out of a possible 720 points at the Okazaki Chuo Soga Park multipurpose square. Fellow Indian archer Payal Nag also put in an impressive performance, setting finishing joint fifth in the qualification standings with 675 points. She recorded 12 Xs and 20 10s, scoring 334 points in the first half and improving to 341 in the second half. Both Sheetal Devi and Payal topped the para compound women’s double ranking round with a combined score of 1379 points.