The ongoing Para Asian Games in Hangzhou have showcased India’s para-athletic prowess and determination. On Monday, India made history in Para Taekwondo as Aruna Tanwar secured India’s first-ever medal in the Women’s K44 -47KG category, clinching a bronze.
The Indian contingent had a spectacular day, amassing an impressive total of 17 medals: six gold, six silver, and five bronze. Harsheel Dani from Maharashtra showed remarkable composure during a closely fought badminton quarterfinal, upsetting top-seed Kiran George of Kerala with a score of 21-11, 18-21, 21-19. In another thrilling match, Sourabh Verma of Madhya Pradesh employed a tactical game plan to outclass third seed Karthikey Gulshan Kumar from Delhi, winning convincingly with a score of 21-14, 21-12.
Para-athlete Ankur Dhamma claimed gold in the men’s 5000m T11 final, recording a remarkable time of 16 minutes and 37 seconds, outperforming his competitors. The silver medal went to Krygyzstan’s Abduvalie with a time of 17 minutes and 18 seconds, while the bronze medal was not awarded in this event.
India’s dominance extended to the men’s high jump events. Praveen Kumar secured gold, while Unni Renu earned a bronze medal in the Men’s High Jump – T64 final. Praveen cleared a height of 2.02 meters for the gold, while Uzbekistan’s Temurbek Giyazov won the silver with a jump of 2.00 meters. Unni Renu secured the bronze medal with a successful jump of 1.95 meters.
Nishad Kumar set a new Asian Games record in the Men’s High Jump T47, earning another gold medal with a leap of 2.02 meters. China’s Hongjie Chen took silver with a jump of 1.94 meters, and India’s Ram Pal shared the silver in the event.
Ace shooter Avani Lekhara secured gold in the 10 meters air rifle event, winning by a narrow margin of 2.1 points against China’s Zhong Yixin. Rudransh Khandelwal, a 16-year-old sensation, claimed silver in the mixed 50-meter pistol event. Prachi Yadav added to India’s medal count with the first silver in the women’s canoeing VL2 final. In para-athletics, Monu Ghanghas secured the bronze in the men’s shot put with his season-best throw of 12.33 meters. In the men’s club throw, India dominated the podium, with Pranav Soorma, Dharambir, and Amit Siroha winning gold, silver, and bronze medals, respectively.
With 303 athletes participating across 17 disciplines, India’s para-athletes are making their presence felt and showcasing their exceptional talents and indomitable spirit at the Para Asian Games.
PM Modi congratulates medal winners
New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi commended Indian athletes for their remarkable achievements at the Asian Para Games. He praised high-jumper Shailesh Kumar’s exceptional gold-winning performance in the Men’s High Jump T63 event, emphasizing his determination and hard work as a source of inspiration. Modi also congratulated Mariyappan Thangavelu for his silver medal in the same event, recognizing his incredible talent and determination. He celebrated Prachi Yadav’s historic achievement in para canoeing VL2 final, highlighting her outstanding performance as a source of national pride. Additionally, the Prime Minister lauded Monu Ghangas for winning bronze in the shot put F11 event, describing his success as truly inspiring and a testament to hard work and dedication.
