Narwal fights back to silver, Arora dazzles on debut as India bag two Para shooting medals

Two medals, two stories of grit in Nagoya

India added two more shooting medals to its Asian Para Games tally in Nagoya on Tuesday, with a seasoned campaigner and a continental debutant both reaching the podium in the 10m air pistol SH1 events. Manish Narwal took silver in the men's final, while Shrishti Arora claimed bronze in the women's final, pushing India's shooting haul higher at the Games.

Manish Narwal's fightback to silver

For Manish Narwal, every medal carries the weight of a battle fought long before he takes aim. Born with nerve damage that limits movement in his right hand and shoulder, the Ballabhgarh shooter had to abandon his childhood dream of becoming a footballer when his disability restricted him to playing the game at the local level. His father, Dilbagh Singh, then introduced him to shooting, opening a new chapter in a sporting journey that has since brought him Paralympic gold and silver.

The left-handed shooter's path, however, has not been without heartbreak. A disappointing seventh-place finish in his favourite 10m air pistol event at the Tokyo Paralympics, followed by the deaths of his elder brother and grandfather, pushed him into depression and left him contemplating quitting the sport.

On Tuesday, the Haryana shooter won silver in the men's 10m air pistol SH1 final at the Asian Para Games in Nagoya with 233.7 points. South Korea's Jo Jeongdu took gold with a Games-record 241.3. The medal also secured Narwal a quota place for the 2028 Los Angeles Paralympics.

Shrishti Arora announces herself on the Asian stage

If Narwal's story is one of fighting back from adversity, Shrishti Arora's continental debut was a lesson in refusing to surrender. Born without the palm of her right hand, the Ajmer shooter has risen rapidly through the para-shooting ranks since competing in her first National Championship in 2023. The 30-year-old from Rajasthan announced her arrival on the Asian stage with bronze in the women's 10m air pistol SH1 final, shooting 214.7.

What made the achievement particularly striking was her transformation from a fifth-place qualifying position into a podium finisher. With composure under pressure, Shrishti turned a challenging starting position into a medal-winning finish, showcasing the determination that has marked her rapid rise. Another Indian, Sumedha Pathak, finished eighth.

Building on Monday's rifle double

Together, Narwal and Shrishti added two medals to India's growing shooting haul at the Games. Their achievements followed Monday's air rifle SH1 double, when Mona Agarwal and Avani Lekhara took gold and silver, respectively.