Asian Para Games 2026: Indian archer Swati settles for silver after surrendering 4-2 lead

File photo: The top-seeded Indian Swati Chaudhary squandered a 4-2 lead to lose 4-6 to China’s Cen Mengkan. | Photo Credit: Swati Chaudhary/Instagram

India’s Swati Chaudhary suffered a 4-6 loss to China’s Cen Mengkan in the final to settle for silver in the women’s W1 individual recurve archery event at the Asian Para Games in Nagoya on Thursday.

The top seeded Indian squandered a 4-2 lead to lose 4-6 to Mengkan.

In a final of fluctuating fortunes, Swati won the opening and third sets but faltered in the closing stages as the world No. 23 Chinese archer produced a strong finish to clinch her maiden Asian Para Games gold. The set scores were 25-17, 21-22, 22-21, 20-30, 21-28.

Swati, who won bronze at the World Archery Para Series in Ahmedabad last month, made a promising start, taking the opening set 25-17 after Cen misfired with one of her arrows.

The Indian thus moved ahead 2-0 in the set-point scoring format.

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Cen fought back in the second set, capitalising on Swati’s inconsistency as the Indian dropped to five and six rings. Swati narrowly lost the set 21-22, allowing the Chinese to level the contest at 2-2.

The Indian regained the lead in the third set after Cen struggled with her three arrows, scoring eight, seven and six. Swati edged the set 22-21 to move within a set of gold at 4-2.

However, the momentum swung decisively in Cen’s favour in the fourth set. The Chinese found her range with a flawless series of three 10s, including a perfect 10, to shoot 30 and take the set 30-20, levelling the match at 4-4.

With the title at stake, Cen maintained her composure in the deciding set, dropping just two points to score 28 against Swati’s 21. The Chinese sealed the set 28-21 and completed the comeback to claim gold, leaving the Indian with silver.

The W1 classification is for archers with significant impairments, affecting both the upper and lower limbs, who compete in a wheelchair.