Double Delight: Soumya Wins Gold, Radha Bags Silver at Asian Para Games
Debutant Soumya clinches gold in the 1500m T12/T13 final at the Asian Para Games 2026, while Radha Venkatesh secures silver for India.
India witnessed a moment of pure glory at the Asian Para Games 2026 in Aichi-Nagoya, Japan, as the nation secured a stunning double podium finish in the women’s 1500m T12/T13 final on Monday. In a display of sheer endurance and speed, debutant Soumya claimed the gold medal, while her compatriot Radha Venkatesh finished second to take home the silver.
Soumya's Golden Debut
Making her first-ever appearance at the continental event, Soumya delivered a performance for the history books. Competing in the combined T12 and T13 category, she clocked a personal best time of 5:12.39 seconds. This exceptional run earned her 621 points, comfortably securing the top spot on the podium and the gold medal for India.
Redemption for Radha Venkatesh
Radha Venkatesh added to the celebrations by securing the silver medal. She finished the race with a timing of 5:30.90 seconds, accumulating 421 points. While she finished second this time, this medal holds special significance for Radha. At the 2022 Asian Para Games, she had actually finished first in the same event with a time of 5:19.35; however, due to a limited number of participants, that race was classified as a non-medal competition. This silver ensures her achievement is officially recognized on the podium.
Heartbreak in Para Powerlifting
While the athletics track brought cheers, the powerlifting arena brought a narrow miss for India. In the men’s 59kg para powerlifting final, Manish Kumar came agonizingly close to a medal. Manish recorded a best lift of 181kg, which was identical to the weight lifted by Kazakhstan's Stanislav Shakiyev.
Despite matching the weight, Manish finished fourth and missed the bronze medal on a countback rule, as Shakiyev had achieved the lift earlier in the competition. Another Indian athlete, Paramjeet Kumar, competed in the same category and finished seventh with a best lift of 167kg.
India's Standing in the Games
With the addition of Soumya’s gold and Radha’s silver, India continues to maintain a strong presence at the Games. At the time of reporting, India's total medal tally has reached 11, consisting of:
- Gold: 4
- Silver: 5
- Bronze: 2
This impressive haul places India fourth in the overall standings as the competition progresses.