New Delhi, March 13 (IANS) The New Delhi World Para Athletics Grand Prix 2026 concluded on Friday after three days of thrilling competition, with India delivering a dominant performance across multiple events.

Competing against strong international fields, Indian athletes finished first in the medal tally with a remarkable 208 medals, including 75 gold, 69 silver, and 64 bronze.

Russia finished second with 35 medals (15 gold, 14 silver, and 6 bronze), while Bosnia and Herzegovina secured third place with 3 medals, including one gold and two silver.

The final day saw several standout performances from Indian athletes across track and field disciplines.

In the Women’s 200m T35–T37, Preeti Pal clinched the gold medal with a time of 30.26 seconds, ahead of Russia’s Karina Machulskaia, who took silver in 32.22 seconds, while Bina Shambhubha of India secured bronze with 32.35 seconds. This marked Preeti Pal’s second gold medal of the Grand Prix.

Reflecting on her performance, Preeti said, “I narrowly missed the target I was aiming for at the Grand Prix by a microsecond. Overall, things are going well. In four days, I will be heading to the Nationals, and since this is the off-season, I am satisfied with my performance.”

She added, “My personal best is 30.03 seconds, and in practice I have already clocked 29.6 seconds, which is encouraging. However, I noticed that I get tired as I approach the finish line, something that didn’t happen before. I am currently working on improving that.”

India also dominated the Men’s Shot Put F57, claiming all three medals. Shubham Juyal won gold with a throw of 14.45 metres, while Bhagat Singh secured silver with 13.29 metres and Priyans Kumar took bronze with 13.07 metres.

From a mark of 13.72 metres at the World Championships 2025 to improving by 0.73 metres in just five months, Shubham Juyal’s rapid progress highlights his dedication and also reflects the growing strength of Indian Army para athletes on the international stage.

Indian athletes continued their medal sweep across several events. In the Men’s 200m T35, Vinay won gold with a time of 28.18 seconds, followed by Anubhav Choudhary with silver in 29.49 seconds, while Chui Yiu Bao of Hong Kong claimed bronze.

In the Men’s 200m T37–T44, India again secured all three medals, with Rakeshbhai Bhatt winning gold in 25.20 seconds, Siddharth Manju Bellary taking silver in 28.23 seconds, and Ravikiran Asarelli finishing with bronze in 31.50 seconds.

Another clean sweep came in the Men’s 800m T53–T54, where Manojkumar Sabapathi won gold with a time of 1:57.41, followed by Manikandan Jothi with silver in 2:11.14, and Kamalakanta Nayak with bronze in 2:20.83.

India also dominated the Men’s Shot Put F11–F12–F20, with Praveen Sharma winning gold with a throw of 13.31 metres, Monu Ghangas taking silver with 11.40 metres, and Janak Singh Harsana securing bronze with 11.22 metres.

In the Men’s Shot Put F37, India once again swept the podium, as Ankit won gold with 12.37 metres, Mayank took silver with 11.68 metres, and Akshay secured bronze with 11.05 metres.

India also achieved podium sweeps in the Men’s Shot Put F53–F54, Women’s Discus Throw F57, Men’s Long Jump T11–T12, Men’s 5000m T54, and Men’s 200m T64, underlining the depth and strength of India’s para athletics programme.

Speaking on the success of the event, Paralympic Committee of India President Devendra Jhajharia said:

“The New Delhi World Para Athletics Grand Prix 2026 has once again showcased the incredible talent and determination of para athletes from across the world. I am extremely proud of the Indian athletes for their outstanding performances and for finishing on top of the medal tally. Hosting an event of this scale in India is an important step towards strengthening the para sports ecosystem in the country and providing our athletes with world-class competitive exposure.”

--IANS

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