Manu Francis and Prince Noble won the men’s skiff silver medal at the Asian Games in Aichi-Nagoya on October 1. The result, confirmed by the Prime Minister’s Office and reported by Public TV, opened India’s sailing medal account at this edition.
The Kerala pair competed in the two-person 49er class and finished the nine-race competition behind China, with Hong Kong taking bronze. Public TV reported that the Indian crew ended on 23 net points. This was an overall series result, earned through repeated races, rather than a medal decided by a single sprint.
Their partnership developed through training at the National Sailing School in Bhopal, the Muziris Yachting Club and later the Army Yachting Node, according to the Sports Authority of India account cited by Public TV. They had previously won medals at Asian sailing championships. The October 1 finish adds an Asian Games silver to that progression; it should not be confused with India’s first sailing medal in the entire history of the Games.