Nandal and Mukundan win bronze medals at Asian Para Games
Indian swimmers Himanshu Nandal and Niranjan Mukundan claimed bronze medals in Nagoya.
· 2 min read
Himanshu Nandal finished third in the men's 400m freestyle S11 with a time of 5 minutes and 10.91 seconds. Niranjan Mukundan won bronze in the men's 200m individual medley SM7 in 2 minutes and 57.01 seconds.
Key takeaways
- Himanshu Nandal won bronze in the men's 400m freestyle S11 event.
- Nandal clocked 5 minutes and 10.91 seconds to finish third in a four-swimmer field.
- Niranjan Mukundan won bronze in the men's 200m individual medley SM7.
- Mukundan's timing was 2 minutes and 57.01 seconds.
- Nandal is blind since birth due to optic nerve failure and took up swimming in 2021.
Indian swimmer Himanshu Nandal secured a bronze medal in the men’s 400 metre freestyle S11 final at the Asian Para Games in Nagoya on Tuesday, 20 October 2026, touching the wall in 5 minutes 10.91 seconds to finish third out of a four‑swimmer field.
The 22‑year‑old from Rohtak, who has been blind since birth because of an optic‑nerve failure, is a political‑science graduate of Delhi University’s Atma Ram Sanatan Dharma College. He began his sporting career in judo, winning national‑level medals before taking up swimming in 2021.
Nandal’s bronze followed a fourth‑place finish in the men’s 100 metre backstroke S11 on Monday, 19 October 2026, where he missed the podium by a narrow margin, underscoring his rapid progress in the S11 classification.
The S11 class is designated for swimmers with near‑total visual impairment, a category in which Nandal has quickly become competitive.
In other Indian performances, Niranjan Mukundan earned bronze in the men’s 200 metre individual medley SM7, recording a time of 2 minutes 57.01 seconds, while teammate Suyash Narayan Jadhav placed fifth in 3 minutes 03.40 seconds. Additionally, Ravi Karthik Budigina finished fifth in the men’s 400 metre freestyle S13 with 5 minutes 41.70 seconds after having taken silver in the 100 metre freestyle S13 the previous day.
The S13 classification covers athletes with the least severe visual impairment eligible for Paralympic swimming, allowing a higher degree of visual acuity compared with S11 and S12 classes.
Nandal’s medal represents India’s second swimming medal at the 2026 Asian Para Games, contributing to the nation’s overall tally and highlighting the growing depth of the Indian para‑swimming squad.
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