Asian Para Games: India eclipses 2023 tally, with record 114 medals, 30 gold

Nagoya: India produced its best-ever performance at the Asian Para Games, finishing its campaign with a record 114 medals, including 30 gold, 35 silver and 49 bronze, following a spectacular final day on Friday.

India sent 168 athletes, nearly half its contingent at the 2023 Hangzhou Games, where it won 108 medals, including 27 gold. India is currently fourth in the standings, though the final positions could change after Saturday’s remaining events.

India clinched nine gold medals on Friday across athletics, badminton, archery and shooting. Athletics remained the biggest contributor, accounting for 65 medals, 12 more than in 2023.

Shuttlers shine

Paris Paralympic champion Nitesh Kumar defeated compatriot and Tokyo Paralympic gold medallist Pramod Bhagat 21-18, 21-16 to win the men’s singles SL3 gold. Nitesh also secured mixed doubles SL3-SU5 silver with Thulasimathi Murugesan.

Games debutant Naveen Sivakumar won the men’s singles SL4 gold, defeating Indonesia’s Fredy Setiawan 21-9, 21-17. Thulasimathi partnered Manasi Joshi to win women’s doubles SL3-SU5 gold, while also claiming women’s singles SU5 silver.

World records in athletics and shooting

Sandeep clocked a world-record 52.28 seconds to win the men’s 400m T64 gold, with Ajay Kumar taking bronze in a Games-record 53.61 seconds. Haney set another world record with a 60.49m throw in the men’s javelin F37/38 event.

Paralympic and world champion Sumit Antil led an Indian sweep in the men’s javelin F42-44/61-64 combined event with 72.46m. Mahendra Gurjar and Sanjay Sandeep Sargar completed the podium. Pranav Soorma won the men’s club throw gold with a Games-record 32.87m.

Shooter Mona Agarwal shattered the world record with 357.5 points to win the women’s 50m rifle 3 positions SH1 gold, her second gold of the Games. She had earlier won the 10m air rifle standing SH1 title, with Avani Lekhara taking silver.

Archery and swimming add medals

Paralympic champion Harvinder Singh and debutant Vijay Sundi won men’s doubles recurve archery gold, beating China 5-1. Bhawna Choudhary and Pooja Jatyan took silver in the women’s event.

India’s swimmers exceeded expectations with 11 medals, including three silver. Himanshu Nandal completed a hat-trick of bronze medals, while Ravi Budigina won three medals, including two silver.

Nimisha Chakkungalparambil and Parmod Bijarnia also secured silver medals in women’s long jump T47 and men’s 1500m T46 respectively, capping India’s landmark campaign.

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The Hans India