Tokyo Paralympics silver medallist Bhavina Patel will not be accompanying Pramod Bagat during the Para Asian Games 2026 Opening Ceremony on Sunday in Aichi-Nagoya. Bhagat, who is a Tokyo Paralympics gold medallist, and Patel were initially named as Indian flag bearers for the Opening Ceremony of the fifth edition of the Games.
However, the development of Patel not participating in the Opening ceremony came at the last minute. Instead of Patel, Simran Sharma will serve as India’s flag bearer for the Opening Ceremony at 2 PM IST (6 PM local time) at the Nagoya City Mizuho Park Athletic Stadium on October 18.
The decision underscores the importance of putting athletes’ well-being first and ensuring that ceremonial responsibilities do not compromise their preparation and performance.
The decision to withdraw Patel from the Opening Ceremony was taken to prioritise the latter’s rest and recovery ahead of her quarterfinal match scheduled for October 19. Patel started her campaign with two wins in the women’s table tennis competition.
She started with a 3-0 win over Kuwait’s Al-Rasheedi, followed by a win over Jordan’s Faten Eleimat. Bhavina brushed aside Eleimat 11-6, 11-7, 11-4 in the women’s singles Class 4-5 Group A match in 17 minutes to top Group A. She had earlier won a silver (2018 Jakarta) and a bronze medal (2022 Hangzhou) in the previous two editions of the Para Asian Games.
According to a press release from the Paralympic Committee of India (PCI), the decision has been taken to ensure that Bhavina, a wheelchair athlete, has sufficient time to rest and prepare for her crucial quarterfinal. The journey to and from the venue takes nearly six hours, which would be physically demanding and leave her with limited time to recover.
The Indian contingent at the Para Asian Games 2026 counts to 281 members, out of which 168 are athletes (112 men and 56 women). A total of 113 officials and support staff have also travelled to Aichi-Nagoya. The Indian athletes will compete in 11 sports.
The Para Asian Games 2026 Opening Ceremony will begin at 2 PM IST (6 PM local time). Fans can watch the Para Asian Games 2026 Opening Ceremony on the FanCode app and website. DD Sports is also expected to broadcast the ceremony, subject to confirmation.
