India celebrated a dominant performance on the track at the
Making her debut at the continental competition, Soumya delivered a standout performance to claim the gold medal. She crossed the finish line in a personal best time of 5:12.39 seconds, earning 621 points in the combined T12 and T13 category. Her teammate, Radha Venkatesh, followed closely to take the silver medal, clocking 5:30.90 seconds and accumulating 421 points.
Reflecting on the Podium Finish
For Radha, the silver medal represents a formal recognition of her prowess in the event. She had previously finished first in the same category at the 2022 Asian Para Games with a time of 5:19.35, though that race was classified as a non-medal competition due to a limited field of participants. This year, the duo ensured India stood firmly on the podium in a competitive field.
While the track events brought success, the Indian para powerlifting team faced a narrow disappointment in the men's 59kg final. Manish Kumar produced a strong effort with a best lift of 181kg, which equalled the mark set by Kazakhstan’s Stanislav Shakiyev. However, due to the countback rule, the bronze medal was awarded to Shakiyev, who had successfully lifted the weight earlier in the competition. Paramjeet Kumar, the second Indian representative in the powerlifting final, finished in seventh place with a best lift of 167kg.
Following these results, India’s total medal count at the Asian Para Games has risen to 11. The tally currently consists of four gold, five silver, and two bronze medals, placing the country fourth in the overall standings as the event continues.
