Aichi-Nagoya, Oct. 17 -- Indian para-athletes Pramod Bhagat and Simran Sharma will serve as flag-bearers at the 5th Asian Para Games 2026, with Simran replacing Bhavina Patel following a decision to prioritise the latter's rest and recovery ahead of her quarter-final match scheduled for October 19.

The decision has been taken to ensure that Bhavina, a wheelchair athlete, has sufficient time to rest and prepare for her crucial quarter-final. 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, as per a press release from the Paralympic Committee of India (PCI).

Explaining the decision, Satyanarayana, Head Coach of Para Athletics, said,...