Pramod Bhagat and Simran Sharma will serve as flag-bearers during the opening ceremony of the Para Asian Games 2026 in Aichi-Nagoya, Japan on Sunday as the Indian Contingent decided to prioritise Bhavina Patel’s preparations for her match the next day.
The contingent administrators took the decision to provide 2020 Paralympic Games silver medallist Bhavina with rest and recovery ahead of her quarterfinal match scheduled for Monday.
The decision was taken to ensure that Bhavina, a wheelchair athlete, has sufficient time to rest and prepare for her crucial quarterfinal match. The journey to and from the venue takes nearly six hours, which would be physically demanding and leave her with limited time to recover ahead of the match.
Explaining the decision, Satyanarayana, Head Coach of Para Athletics, said, “Bhavina has her quarterfinal match on October 19, and it is important that she gets adequate rest and recovery ahead of this crucial contest. As a wheelchair athlete, travelling to and from the venue takes nearly six hours, which would be demanding and leave her with limited time to recover. Keeping her well-being and competition schedule in mind, we felt it was important to make this change. Our priority is to ensure that our athletes get the rest they need and are fully prepared to give their best when they compete.”
Pramod Bhagat and Simran Sharma will take on the honour of being the flag-bearers, representing the determination, resilience and sporting spirit of Indian athletes. The decision underscores the importance of putting athletes’ well-being first and ensuring that ceremonial responsibilities do not compromise their preparation and performance.
The Paralympic Committee of India (PCI) is expecting a big haul from the Para Asian Games in Japan, with Bhagat and Bhavina among the biggest stars in action. India is expecting success mostly in para-athletics and para-badminton.
