India Achieves Historic Medal Count at World Para Athletics Championships

India's Record-Breaking Performance

New Delhi, October 4: India has achieved its highest medal tally ever at the World Para Athletics Championships, securing a total of 18 medals, including bronze from Praveen Kumar, silver from Ekta Bhyan, and silver from Soman Rana, on Monday.

This impressive performance surpasses the previous record of 17 medals set during the Kobe WPAC in 2024, where India earned six gold, five silver, and six bronze medals. The current tally stands at six gold, seven silver, and five bronze medals.

Praveen Kumar was the center of attention on Saturday evening, having previously brought glory to the nation. India was just one gold medal away from matching its best gold medal count in WPAC history, which was achieved in Kobe.

With the shortest run-up in the men's high jump T64, Praveen signaled the crowd to quiet down before his jump, indicating his focus. He performed admirably throughout the event but ultimately secured bronze, as Uzbekistan's Temurbek Giyazov claimed gold with a personal best of 2.03 meters, while Jonathan Broom-Edwards from Great Britain took silver at 2.00 meters.

Feeling disappointed after his bronze, Praveen expressed his determination to improve, citing a hip injury that hindered his performance. "I have got a bronze medal, but I will try to get a gold medal next time. I had a hip injury that affected my performance," he stated.

Meanwhile, Ekta Bhyan's silver in the women's club throw F51 lifted the spirits of local fans. She achieved her season best with a throw of 19.80 meters, but Ukraine's Zoia Ovsii dominated the event with a remarkable throw of 24.03 meters, making gold seem out of reach for Ekta.

Despite this, Ekta expressed satisfaction with her performance, acknowledging her previous achievements. "Yes, I was over 21 meters in the Asian Games and won gold in the World Championship [Kobe 2024], but I am happy with my performance here," she remarked.

Looking ahead, all eyes are on Simran for the upcoming 200m T12 event, as well as Paris Paralympic F41 javelin gold medalist Navdeep Singh. Simran, who won gold in the 100m, advanced to the semifinals with a season-best time of 25.03 seconds, alongside her guide Umar Saifi. Her coach and husband, Gajendra Singh, emphasized their focus on the next event, stating, "We are highly motivated but not dwelling on our previous gold. We need to stay fit and hydrated for the final tomorrow."

Soman Rana also contributed to India's success by winning silver in the men's shot put F57, initially awarded bronze but upgraded after a successful protest. He achieved a season-best throw of 14.69 meters. With Rana's silver, India has surpassed its previous medal tally from Kobe, marking the New Delhi WPAC as its most successful championship to date.