India secured the top position at the World Para Athletics Grand Prix with a total of 134 medals, including 45 golds. Key athletes included Vanessa Low, who won gold in long jump, and Preethi Pal, who earned bronze in the 200m T35-38. India demonstrated strong performances across various categories and has signed a four-year contract to host the Grand Prix annually until 2028.
India achieved an impressive performance at the World Para Athletics Grand Prix, topping the medal tally with a total of 134 medals, including 45 gold, 40 silver, and 49 bronze. The event witnessed participation from around 150 Indian athletes, alongside approximately 100 competitors from 19 other nations. Notably, Australian long jumper Vanessa Low secured gold in the T61-64 class, while India’s Preethi Pal earned a bronze in the women’s T35-38 200m race.
Three-time Paralympic champion Vanessa Low showcased her talent by clearing a distance of 4.96m, affirming her skill and experience at the Young and energetic environment of the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium. Zhanna Fekolina, competing as a Neutral Paralympic Athlete, achieved silver with a jump of 4.13m, while India’s Bhavani Munniyandi captured bronze with a leap of 3.51m. Vanessa expressed contentment with her performance, indicating her return for the World Para Athletics Championships in September and her intention to participate in the 2026 event.
Preethi Pal also delivered an exceptional performance, adding to her medal collection by winning bronze in the 200m T35-38 final with a time of 31.50 seconds. Earlier, she secured silver in the 100m run. Australia’s Rhiannon Clarke clinched the gold with a time of 26.76 seconds, while Neutral Paralympic Athlete Margarita Goncharova took silver. Preethi made a historic impact at the 2024 Paris Paralympics, being the first Indian woman track and field athlete to win two medals.
In men’s events, India dominated the shot put F11–F20 category, sweeping all medals with gold by Sagar (11.47m), silver by Janka Singh (9.91m), and bronze by Balaji Rajendran (9.89m). In the women’s long jump T20–T37, gold went to Irina Sapanzha (5.35m), silver to Valentina (5.16m), and bronze to India’s Bhuvi Agarwal (4.16m). In the men’s shot put F40–F41, Neutral Paralympic Athlete Denis Gnezdilov secured gold. Additionally, the men’s 200m T35 event saw India’s Vinay and Abhishek Babasaheb Jadhav win silver and bronze respectively.
The Grand Prix has an established future in India with a four-year contract to host the event annually until 2028, which signifies a growing commitment to inclusive sports and opportunities for athletes.
In summary, India exhibited remarkable proficiency at the World Para Athletics Grand Prix, emerging as the leading nation with 134 total medals. Key performances included Vanessa Low’s gold in long jump and Preethi Pal’s impressive results in both the 100m and 200m events. The event not only highlighted individual achievements but also showcased India’s dedication to promoting athletics among para athletes, strengthened by a commitment to host future events.
Original Source: sports.ndtv.com
