India reached a significant milestone at the 2026 Asian Para Games in Nagoya on Friday, October 23, as the nation’s medal tally hit 100. The achievement was spearheaded by stellar performances from Sandeep and Haney, both of whom claimed gold medals while setting new world records at the Nagoya City Mizuho Park Athletic Stadium.
Sandeep delivered a commanding performance in the men’s 400m T64 final, crossing the finish line in 52.28 seconds. His time established a new world record, placing him 0.85 seconds ahead of Saudi Arabia’s Nour Alsana, who secured a season’s best of 53.13 seconds. Indian athlete Ajay Kumar also reached the podium, taking bronze with a Games Record time of 53.61 seconds, while China’s Huang Ruihua finished fourth.
Record-Breaking Success in Field Events
The momentum continued in the javelin throw F37/38 final, where Haney produced a spectacular effort to secure gold. His throw of 60.49m earned him 1116 Raza points, setting a new world record in the process. The event, which combines F37 and F38 classifications, saw Iran’s Hormoz Seidikazpounji take silver with a personal best of 50.68m, while China’s Yu Chengjie claimed bronze with an Asian record of 53.66m.
Earlier in the day, India added to its medal haul through strong showings in track and field. Nimisha Chakkungalparambil earned a silver medal in the women’s long jump T47, recording a best leap of 5.37m. The gold went to Sri Lanka’s Dhananjana Wickramasinghe, who set a Games Record of 5.52m. In the men’s 1500m T46, Parmod Bijarnia secured silver with a time of 4:09.65. Sri Lanka’s Puwakpitikande P. Wahumpurage claimed the top spot with a Games Record of 4:03.25, while the Philippines’ King James Reyes took bronze.
Mixed Results for Indian Contingent
While the day was defined by record-breaking golds, other Indian athletes faced tough competition in their respective finals. Praveen Sharma finished fourth in the men’s discus throw F11 with a best effort of 30.64m, in a competition dominated by Iran, who swept the podium. Similarly, Amisha Rawat placed fourth in the women’s shot put F46 final, recording a best distance of 11.16m.
The success of Sandeep and Haney underscores a productive campaign for India in Nagoya, with the team’s performance across both track and field events proving pivotal in reaching the 100-medal mark. The Games continue to showcase the high level of competition across various para-sport classifications, including the T44, T46, and T64 categories, as athletes strive for personal bests and regional records.
