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Liang Qiurong’s three-final run propels China into eight gold medal matches in Ahmedabad

07 septembre 2026

Ahmedabad (India)

Vrai nom:

World number 39 Liang Qiurong reached three gold medal matches as Chinese para archers advanced to eight finals at the third stage of the Hyundai World Archery Para Series in Ahmedabad on Monday.

The fourth seed secured her first finals of the season after progressing to the recurve women’s individual, doubles and mixed team gold medal matches.

Qiurong, who is also the Beijing 2025 Asian Para Championships team gold medallist, defeated 18-year-old Rajshri Dhanraj Rathod, 6-4, in the individual semifinals and will face Iran’s Paris 2024 quarterfinalist Somayeh Rahimi Ghahderijani. It will also be the first final of Ghahderijani’s 13-year career.

Ghahderijani, who claimed team bronze at the last Asian Para Games in Hangzhou, found form at the right time as she overcame home favourite Bhawna in the other semifinal, which was decided in a tie-break.

Qiurong will also contest the recurve women’s doubles and mixed team gold medal matches after combining with Chen Yu and Xia Lei, respectively, to win their semifinals.

China will face India in both finals. Qiurong and Yu meet Bhawna and Pooja in the women’s doubles, while Qiurong and Lei take on Harvinder Singh and Bhawna in the mixed team final. Overall, hosts India reached six finals and will be hoping to make the most of the home advantage.

Teenager Lin Junjie added to China’s impressive showing by reaching the first final of his career.

The 18-year-old showed composure and precision, first beating world number 37 Tomas Vrzal in a tie-break before overcoming Paris 2024 Paralympic silver medallist Han Guifei, 7-3, in the W1 men’s semifinals.

Junjie next faces two-time Paralympic champion David Drahoninsky in the final.

Guifei, however, also secured a place in a gold medal match, combining with Yang Xupeng to reach the W1 men’s doubles final, where they will meet Drahoninsky and Vrzal on Tuesday.

Another seasoned player Liu Jing will carry China's gold medal hopes against Czechia's world number one Sarka Pultar Musilova in the W1 women individual final. Both the players are set to face once again when they lead their respective teams in the W1 women doubles.

In compound women, Kazakhstan’s second seed Aizada Seidan also reached the first individual final of her career, underlining her form ahead of the forthcoming Aichi-Nagoya 2026 Asian Para Games.

The world number 41 will face top seed and home favourite Sheetal Devi in her first individual gold medal match.

Seidan also helped Kazakhstan upset top seeds India, represented by Devi and Payal Nag, 152-151, to reach the compound women’s doubles final against Great Britain on Tuesday.

In the men’s events, Indonesia’s seasoned para archers Kholidin and Ken Swagumilang underlined their form ahead of the continental Games by reaching the recurve men’s and compound men’s individual finals, respectively.

Swagumilang, who topped the compound men’s qualification with a season-best 704, continued his steady run by defeating home favourite Toman Kumar on his way to the final. He will meet France’s third seed Maxime Guérin in the compound men’s individual gold medal match on Wednesday.

Meanwhile, world number seven and second seed Kholidin defeated 14th seed Gan Jun of China in the semifinals to book a recurve men’s individual final against Mexico’s fourth seed and Santiago 2023 Parapan American Games Champion Samuel Molina. The 36th ranked Jun had shocked reigning Paralympic Champion Harvinder Singh in the elimination round.

In the visually impaired final, Cyprus’ world number one Christos Misos defeated teenage home archer Tanvi Pravin Ingale, 6-4, to continue his winning run on the circuit.

For Pravin Ingale, the silver marked her first international medal. Although she had targeted gold, the teenager was pleased with the result. “I am very happy with the result. My focus is always to give my best – I make sure my arrows always hit the target,” the 18-year-old said.

Competition at Ahmedabad 2026 continues on Tuesday with the team finals.