India dominates New Delhi World Para Athletics Grand Prix 2026 with 208-medal haul

New Delhi: The New Delhi World Para Athletics Grand Prix 2026 wrapped up after three days of intense competition, with India delivering a commanding performance across a wide range of events. Facing strong international competition, Indian athletes topped the medal standings with an impressive total of 208 medals, including 75 gold, 69 silver, and 64 bronze.

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

The final day of the Grand Prix featured several standout performances from Indian athletes across both track and field events.

In the Women’s 200m T35–T37, Preeti Pal won the gold medal with a time of 30.26 seconds, finishing ahead of Russia’s Karina Machulskaia, who claimed silver in 32.22 seconds. India’s Bina Shambhubha secured bronze with a time of 32.35 seconds, marking Preeti Pal’s second gold medal of the competition.

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 podium spots. 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.

Juyal’s performance highlights his rapid progress, improving from a mark of 13.72 metres at the 2025 World Championships to 14.45 metres in just five months. His rise reflects both his dedication and the growing strength of Indian Army para athletes on the international stage.

Indian athletes continued their medal-winning run across several events. In the Men’s 200m T35, Vinay captured 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 once again swept the podium, 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. Manikandan Jothi secured silver in 2:11.14, while Kamalakanta Nayak claimed 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 took silver with 11.40 metres, and Janak Singh Harsana secured bronze with 11.22 metres.

In the Men’s Shot Put F37, India again swept the podium, with Ankit winning gold with 12.37 metres, Mayank taking silver with 11.68 metres, and Akshay claiming bronze with 11.05 metres.

India also achieved podium sweeps in several other events, including 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, highlighting the depth and growing 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.”

Tags : Para Athletics, New Delhi, Russia, Bosnia, Herzegovina, Preeti Pal