India concluded the World Para-Athletics Championships in Kobe, Japan on Sunday with 17 medals - six gold, five silver and six bronze. It placed India sixth in the standings, where more gold medals places a country higher, behind China (87), Brazil (42), Uzbekistan (13), Great Britain (12) and the United States (24).
It is India’s best showing at a World Para-Athletics Championships - surpassing the 10 medals won at the 2023 edition in Paris. Before that India had won nine medals (in 2019), five medals (in 2017), two medals (in 2015) and one medal (in 2013 and 2011).
India’s gold medal winners were: Mariyappan Thangavelu (Men’s High Jump T63), Sumit Antil (Men’s Javelin Throw F64), Sachin Khilari (Men’s Shot Put F46), Simran Sharma (Women’s 200m T12), Deepthi Jeevanji (Women’s 400m T20), Ekta Bhyana (Women’s Club Throw F51).
The second place finish, for a silver medal, was attained by: Yogesh Kathuniya (Men’s Discuss Throw F56), Nishad Kumar (Men’s High Jump T47), Rinku (Men’s Javelin Throw F46), Kashish Lakra (Women’s Club Throw F51), Bhagyashri Jadhav (Women’s Shot Put F34).
And lastly, the bronze medals went to: Dharambir (Men’s Club Throw F51), Navdeep (Men’s Javelin Throw F41), Ajeet Singh (Men’s Javelin Throw F46), Sandeep (Men’s Javelin Throw F64), Preethi Pal (Women’s 100m T35), Preethi Pal (Women’s 200m T35).
Beyond the medals won, Indian para-athletes set records during the Championships. Jeevanji set a World, Championships and Asian record of 55.07 seconds in Women’s 400m T20. In the pre-finals, she had already set a continental record with time of 56.18 seconds.
Khilari set an Asian record in the Men’s Shot Put F46 event with a throw of 16.30m. Dharambir, too, set a continental record in Men’s Club Throw F51 when he threw 33.61m.
Thangavelu, meanwhile, set a Championship record by registering a 1.88m mark in Men’s High Jump T42 event.
