Asian Para Games 2026: Bhavina, Sonalben, Sahana, and Prachi confirm TT medals

Paralympic silver medallist Bhavina Patel was among the Indian table tennis players who advanced to the semifinals of the Asian Para Games on Monday, ensuring medals in four different classes for the country.

Prachi battled past Thailand's Kanokporn Phathumchai to enter the last four of the women’s Class 6 event; Baby Sahana Ravi defeated Kazakhstan’s Altynay Yerzhankyzy 3-0 in the women’s singles Class 9 Group B match.

The two paddlers finished second in their respective groups and qualified for the semi-final directly, assuring India of first-ever table tennis medals in the standing categories.

Prachi will face Iraq’s Najlah Al-Dayyeni for a place in the final on Tuesday, while Sahana is up against a strong Chinese paddler, Jingdian Mao.

Meanwhile, Sonalben defeated Thailand's Dararat Asayut in the Class 3 quarterfinal, and Bhavina also secured a semi-final berth in Class 4-5 with a quarterfinal win over China's Zhang Miao.

Class 3 is a wheelchair category for athletes with poor sitting balance and limited trunk control, but normal or near-normal arm and hand function.

Bhavina, a former Commonwealth Games gold medallist, underlined her credentials with an 8-11, 11-6, 11-1, 11-6 win over Zhang to confirm back-to-back medals at the Para Asiad.

Class 4-5 is for athletes with physical impairments who compete while seated.

(With Inputs from PTI)