Asian Para Games: Simran Sharma, Praveen Kumar and Sachin Khilari lead India’s athletics gold rush

Simran Sharma’s golden double headlined India’s athletics campaign on Day 3 of the Asian Para Games, as track and field athletes collected 22 medals, including five gold, in Nagoya on Wednesday.After winning the women’s 200m T12 title on Tuesday, the visually impaired sprinter claimed the 100m gold in a Gamesrecord 12.02 seconds, ahead of Iran’s Hajar Safarzadeh (12.30). Simran became only the fourth Indian to win two gold medals at a single Para Asiad, joining Ankur Dhama, Sheetal Devi and Nishad Kumar.Dilip Gavit supplied another track gold, winning the men’s 100m T46/47 combined event in 10.69s. Mohammed Basil Morssinganakathi, competing in T47, took silver in a Games-record 10.72s. T46 and T47 cover athletes with upperlimb impairments, differing in the nature and extent of the impairment.Field events brought three more gold. Ayush Verma topped the men’s shot put F53 with 8.16m. The class is for seated throwers with significant trunk and leg movement impairments. Praveen Kumar defended his men’s high jump T44/64 title, clearing a Games-record 2.05m. Praveen has a lower-limb impairment -- T64 athletes use a prosthesis, while T44 covers lower-limb impairments without one. Banti claimed silver with a personal best 1.92m in the same event.Sachin Khilari completed the gold rush with a Games-record 15.87m in the men’s shot put F46, securing a podium sweep for India. Mohd Yasser won the silver at 15.06m and Parveen took the bronze at 14.94m.Other silver came from Bhagyashri Jadhav (women’s shot put F34, personal best 8.19m), Manjeet (men’s javelin F12/13, career-best 61.03m), Preeti Pal (women’s 100m T35), Akira Banothu (men’s 400m T35/38) and Sharath Makanahalli, whose men’s 1500m T12 medal after Uzbekistan’s winner was disqualified for obstruction.India’s athletics tally has risen to 42 medals, 13 gold, 14 silver and 15 bronze, second only to China. Athletics has so far accounted for 13 of India’s 14 gold medals across all sports at the Games.Stay updated with the latest Asian Games 2026 news, check the Asian Games medal tally and complete Asian Games schedule.Get the latest Sports News and Live updates. Download the TOI app.