From Kochi to Asian Games Glory: How Childhood Friends Manu Francis and Prince Noble Sailed India to Silver

Nagoya, Oct 1: For Manu Francis and Prince Noble, the silver medal at the Asian Games is the latest milestone in a partnership that began long before the two stepped onto the continental stage. The childhood friends from Kochi, who discovered sailing at a young age, have spent years training, competing and progressing together through India's sailing system. On Thursday, their long association culminated in a podium finish in the men's skiff event, giving India their first sailing medal in Asian Games 2026.

Francis, 31, and Noble, 30, finished second behind China's Wen Zaiding and Liu Tian after nine races. The Indian pair accumulated 23 points, finishing 16 points behind the Chinese, while Hong Kong, China finished in the bronze medal position with 24 points.

Their journey began in Kerala and continued through training at Bhopal's National Sailing School, the Muziris Yachting Club and the Army Yachting Node. The Asian Games silver is the latest milestone in their journey from grassroots sailing to the international stage.

Manu Francis' story is closely intertwined with that of Prince Noble. The two are relatives and childhood friends from the Kochi region, and their interest in sailing developed when they were young. What began as an early introduction to the sport eventually became a shared professional pursuit.

Who is Manu Francis?

Manu Francis is a Kerala-based Indian sailor who has carved out a place for himself in the country's high-performance sailing circuit. Competing in the 49er class, Francis forms a long-standing partnership with Prince Noble, his relative and childhood friend from Kochi. Their association with sailing began early, eventually turning into a professional sporting journey.

The duo received their initial training at the National Sailing School in Bhopal and later continued at the Muziris Yachting Club in Kerala. After school, both joined the Indian Army, where they continued to develop their skills through the Army Yachting Node. Training and competing together over the years helped Francis establish himself as an accomplished 49er sailor.

His partnership with Noble has produced several notable results. The pair won bronze at the 2022 Asian Sailing Championship in Abu Dhabi and added another bronze at the 2023 Asian Sailing Championships in Pattaya, Thailand. They also finished third at the YAI Senior National Sailing Championship in 2023.

Francis and Noble strengthened their credentials in the lead-up to the 2026 Asian Games by winning the 49er class at the YAI Asian Games Selection Trial-II in Mumbai. They later competed at the 2026 49er World Championship in Quiberon, France, before representing India at the Asian Games. Their continued progress reflects Francis' evolution from a young sailor in Kerala into an international-level competitor.

Who is Prince Noble?

Prince Noble is an Indian sailor from Kerala who competes in the 49er class, a high-performance two-person skiff event. Hailing from the Kochi region, Noble developed an interest in sailing at a young age and began his journey in the sport alongside his relative and childhood friend, Manu Francis.

The duo trained at the National Sailing School in Bhopal for around one and a half years before continuing their development at the Muziris Yachting Club in Kerala. Noble initially competed in the Laser Radial class before moving into high-performance sailing and eventually transitioning to the 49er class.

His progress was recognised by the Yachting Association of India, which named him a Most Promising Yachtsman in 2017. Alongside Francis, Noble has since established himself as one of India's leading competitors in the 49er discipline.

The pair won bronze in the 49er/Skiff category at an international sailing competition in Abu Dhabi in 2022 and followed it with bronze at the 2023 Asian Sailing Championships in Pattaya, Thailand. Noble also won bronze at the YAI Senior National Sailing Championship in 2023.

In January 2026, Noble and Francis finished first in the 49er class at the YAI Asian Games Selection Trial-II in Mumbai. They later represented India at the 2026 49er World Championship in France before securing silver in the men's skiff event at the Asian Games.

For Francis and Noble, the road to the Asian Games podium began not in Nagoya but in Kochi, where two childhood friends first developed an interest in sailing. Their journey through Bhopal, Kerala's sailing circuit, the Indian Army, national championships, and international competitions eventually brought them to the continental stage.

And after nine races in Nagoya, the childhood friends had something tangible to show for that journey: an Asian Games silver medal and another chapter in a partnership that has grown alongside their careers.