Asian Para Games: Praveen’s Record Gold Leads India to 41 Medals; Ayush Wins Shot Put

Praveen Kumar won high jump gold with a Games record and Ayush Verma claimed the shot put title as India’s medal tally climbed to 41 at the Asian Para Games in Aichi-Nagoya, Japan, on Wednesday.

Banti completed an Indian one-two in the men’s high jump T64, while archers Sheetal Devi and Payal Nag secured silver in women’s compound doubles. Sprinters Rakeshbhai Bhatt and Anubhav Choudhary added bronze medals with personal-best performances.

India had 11 gold, 13 silver and 17 bronze medals at the latest update.

PRAVEEN RAISES THE BAR

Two-time Paralympic medallist Praveen cleared 2.05 metres to set an Asian Para Games record in the men’s high jump T64.

Having secured gold at 1.95 metres, which equalled the Games record, he cleared 2.00 metres on his first attempt before scaling 2.05 metres on his third.

Banti took silver with a personal best of 1.92 metres, ensuring two Indians stood on the podium.

SECOND MEDAL FOR AYUSH

Ayush Verma won the men’s shot put F53 title with a best throw of 8.16 metres, achieved on his fifth attempt.

It was his second medal of the Games, following bronze in the men’s javelin F53/54 on Tuesday.

On the track, Rakeshbhai Bhatt clocked a personal best of 11.50 seconds to claim bronze in the men’s 100m T37. Saudi Arabia’s Ali Alnakhli won in 11.31 seconds, ahead of Indonesia’s Saptoyogo Purnomo in 11.35 seconds.

Anubhav Choudhary also produced a personal best, finishing third in the men’s 100m T35 in 12.72 seconds.

SHEETAL AND PAYAL TAKE SILVER

Sheetal Devi and Payal Nag won India’s first archery medal of the Games, taking silver in women’s compound doubles.

The Indians, who topped the ranking round, lost 141–150 to China’s Xueqing Xu and Jing Zhao in the final.

India narrowly missed another archery podium finish as Toman Kumar and Shyam Sunder Swami lost the men’s compound doubles bronze-medal match 153–154 to China.

SIMRAN SETS GAMES RECORD

Simran Sharma advanced to the women’s 100m T12 final after winning her heat in a Games-record 12.13 seconds. She had won the women’s 200m title on Tuesday.

In swimming, Himanshu Nandal qualified fourth-fastest for the men’s 100m breaststroke SB11 final, clocking 1:21.52 in the heats. He had earlier won bronze in the men’s 400m freestyle S11.

Sujith MS finished sixth in the men’s long jump T13 with a best effort of 5.74 metres.

SUHAS AND NAVEEN ASSURED OF MEDALS

Suhas Yathiraj and Naveen Sivakumar reached the men’s singles SL4 badminton semifinals, assuring themselves of medals.

Suhas beat South Korea’s N. Cho 21–12, 21–16, while Naveen defeated Kyung Hwan Shin 21–14, 21–4 in 26 minutes.

Sukant Kadam exited the same category after losing 17–21, 21–18, 15–21 to Indonesia’s Fredy Setiawan.

Ruthick Ragupathi lost his men’s singles SU5 quarterfinal to China’s Mingpan Li, while Prem Kumar Ale was eliminated in the men’s singles WH1 quarterfinals by South Korea’s Haeseong Park.

In women’s singles WH1, Pallavi Kaluvehalli bowed out after a third consecutive group-stage defeat, losing to Japan’s Sena Tomoyose.

With inputs from ANI