India's Para Athletes Deliver Stunning Performance at World Grand Prix
India produced an absolutely dominant display at the World Para Athletics Grand Prix, concluding the competition with an extraordinary haul of 208 medals that firmly established the nation's growing prowess in para sports. The remarkable campaign saw Indian athletes secure 75 gold medals, 69 silver medals, and 64 bronze medals across various events, showcasing depth and talent throughout the squad.
Preeti Pal's Sprint Masterclass Highlights Final Day
The spotlight shone brightly on Preeti Pal, the 25-year-old double Paralympic medallist from Meerut, who delivered a spectacular sprint performance on the final day of competition. Pal clinched gold in the women's 200m (T35–T37) event with a commanding time of 30.26 seconds, adding this title to the 100m gold she had secured just a day earlier.
Russia's Karina Machulskaia claimed silver with 32.22 seconds, while India's Bina Shambhubha completed the podium with bronze after finishing in 32.35 seconds. Reflecting on her performance, Pal admitted she narrowly missed her personal target but remained satisfied with her overall showing during the off-season period.
"I narrowly missed the target I was aiming for at the Grand Prix by a microsecond. Overall, things are going well. In four days, I will be heading to the Nationals, and since this is the off-season, I am satisfied with my performance," said Pal after securing her second gold medal.
The sprinter also revealed encouraging signs from her training sessions, noting she has clocked faster times in practice than her current personal best of 30.03 seconds. "In practice I have already clocked 29.6 seconds, which is encouraging. However, I noticed that I get tired as I approach the finish line, something that didn't happen before. I am currently working on improving that," she added.
Comprehensive Medal Dominance Across Events
India's medal haul was particularly impressive given that only eight teams participated in the competition. Russia finished a distant second overall with 35 medals (15 gold, 14 silver, 6 bronze), while Bosnia and Herzegovina placed third with just three medals (one gold and two silver).
The Indian contingent demonstrated strength across both track and field events:
- Men's Shot Put F57: India achieved a clean sweep with Shubham Juyal securing gold (14.45m), Bhagat Singh taking silver (13.29m), and Priyans Kumar claiming bronze (13.07m). Juyal's performance marked significant improvement from his 13.72m throw at last year's World Para Athletics Championships.
- Men's 200m T35: Vinay won gold with 28.18 seconds, finishing ahead of Anubhav Choudhary (29.49 seconds, silver) and Hong Kong's Chui Yiu Bao (bronze).
- Men's 200m T37–T44: Another Indian clean sweep with Rakeshbhai Bhatt winning gold (25.20 seconds), Siddharth Manju Bellary taking silver (28.23 seconds), and Ravikiran Asarelli securing bronze (31.50 seconds).
- Men's 800m T53–T54: Manojkumar Sabapathi claimed gold (1:57.41), while Manikandan Jothi took silver (2:11.14) and Kamalakanta Nayak secured bronze (2:20.83).
Simran Sharma's Medal Uncertainty Amid Guide Runner Suspension
Meanwhile, Indian visually impaired para-sprinter Simran Sharma expressed hope that she will retain the medals she won at last year's World Para Athletics Championships despite the suspension of her guide runner. Sharma had won gold in the women's 100m (T12) and silver in the 200m at the championships.
Her guide runner Umar Saifi was provisionally suspended after testing positive for drostanolone, a banned anabolic steroid, according to the list released by the National Anti-Doping Agency on October 9, 2025. The test was reportedly conducted during the Delhi State Open on September 7, 2025.
Under International Paralympic Committee regulations, guide runners in T12 events are classified as "athlete support personnel," which means a doping violation by the guide can potentially lead to the athlete's results being disqualified.
Simran, who is currently sidelined with an injury and therefore not competing at the ongoing Grand Prix, remains optimistic about retaining her hard-earned medals. "I am very hopeful that I will not lose my medals. I worked really hard for them. There are examples where athletes have not been stripped of their medals even when their guide tested positive for a banned substance," Simran said on the sidelines of the Grand Prix.
The athlete has since moved on from Saifi's suspension and is now working with a new guide runner as she prepares for the Asian Para Games scheduled to be held in Japan later this year. When asked about the timeline for a final decision on her appeal, Simran said the matter remains unclear but she continues her preparations for upcoming competitions.
"I don't know yet, but I am continuing my preparations for the Asian Para Games. I did not compete in the inaugural Grand Prix of the season in Dubai last month, or in the ongoing competition here, as I want to keep my body injury-free for the Asian Para Games," she explained.
The World Para Athletics Grand Prix performance represents a significant milestone for Indian para athletics, demonstrating both individual excellence and collective depth across multiple disciplines. With athletes like Preeti Pal leading the charge and emerging talents making their mark, India's para sports program appears poised for continued success on the international stage.
