Asian Para Games 2023: Prachi Yadav wins gold, Manish Kaurav settles for bronze in canoe

This is Prachi's second medal at the ongoing edition.

India's Prachi Yadav opened India's gold medal tally on day 2 of Asian Para Games 2023 in women's KL2 Canoe event. The Indian got the better of Chinese compatriot by clocking 54.962 in a highly exhilarating race. Prachi started her campaign at the 4th edition of Para Asian Games by winning silver in women's VL2 yesterday. She lost the gold medal battle to Uzbekistan's Irodakhon Rustamova by a meagre 1.022 seconds.

However she came back strongly to win gold today. Her countrymate Manish Kaurav, settled for bronze medal in men's KL3 canoe by registering a time of 44.605 seconds. The 27-year-old is a two-time Asian Championships gold medalist and has won several accolades at the National level. Meanwhile, this is Manish Kaurav's first medal at the Continental Games.

Prachi Yadav, part of TOPS (Target Olympics Podium Scheme), has been in fine form for the past years. She clinched bronze at the Paralympic world cup. With her good showing, she booked an automatic quota for Paris Olympics 2024. The 28-year-old started her career as a para swimmer and in 2018 under the guidance of her coach switched to canoe; a move which turned out to be successful.

She also became the first-ever Indian Para Canoe athlete to qualify for 2020 Summer Paralympics Games in Tokyo, Japan.

Other Indian in the fray in women's KL2 was Rajni Jha who finished a credible fifth by registering 12.190 seconds. A total of six canoeists participated in the event. To date, Indian Canoeing contingent has contributed three medals to medal tally which has now touched the 20 medals mark.