Asian Para Games: India's medal tally reaches 88 as Dilip, Solairaj get gold
India dominates the Asian Para Games with gold medals from Dilip Gavit and Solairaj Dharmaraj, pushing the total medal tally to 88.
India's campaign at the Asian Para Games reached a fever pitch on Thursday, as the nation's athletes delivered a powerhouse performance across athletics, swimming, and badminton. With a surge of gold, silver, and bronze, the India Asian Para Games medals tally has climbed to a staggering 88, consisting of 21 gold, 26 silver, and 41 bronze medals.
Gold Rush in Para Athletics
The athletics track and field events were the primary engine of India's success. Dilip Gavit continued his golden streak in the men's 400m T47 final. Having already secured gold in the 100m T47, Gavit successfully defended his 2023 Hangzhou title by clocking a time of 48.27 seconds to claim his second gold of the games.
Adding to the glory, Solairaj Dharmaraj delivered a historic performance in the men's long jump T44/T62/T64 final. Solairaj not only defended his title but also set a new Asian Games record with a leap of 7.15m. He comfortably beat Malaysia's Eddy Bernard (6.34m) and Japan's Yuma Tamaki (6.89m) to secure the top spot.
Podium Sweeps and Double Victories
India showcased absolute dominance in the men's high jump T63 event, achieving a complete podium sweep. Shailesh Kumar led the charge, setting a new Asian Games record with a jump of 1.89m. He was followed by Varun Bhati, who took silver with a season-best 1.84m, and Rahul, who bagged bronze with a personal best of 1.81m.
The women's 400m T47 event also saw a double podium finish for India. Anjanaben Bumbadiya claimed the gold with a time of 59.97 seconds, while Jayanti Behera secured the silver in 1:00.65 seconds.
Triumphs in the Pool and on the Court
India's swimmers added significant weight to the medal tally. Kapil Kumar earned a silver medal in the men's 400m freestyle S10 with a time of 4:38.44. In the men's 50m freestyle S13 final, Ravi Karthik Budigina added a bronze to his existing two silvers, finishing in 25.89 seconds. Tejas Nandkumar also secured a bronze in the men's 100m backstroke S7, finishing strong at 1:18.58, and Swastik Patil took bronze in the men's breaststroke SB9 with a time of 1:13.77.
In para-badminton, the medals kept flowing:
- Manisha Ramadass: Won bronze in the women's singles SU5 after a hard-fought semifinal against compatriot Thulasimathi Murugesan.
- Surya Kant Yadav and Naveen Sivakumar: Secured bronze after a tight three-set battle against an Indonesian pair.
Dramatic Finishes and Narrow Margins
The day was marked by several thrilling finishes. In the women's 400m T11 final, Ravanni Valasanaini produced a stunning late surge. Despite not being in medal contention for much of the race, she stormed into third place on the final bend and held her position to beat China's Huang Zhenli by a razor-thin margin of 0.07 seconds for the bronze.
Meanwhile, Tejalben Damor secured a silver in the women's 400m T12 final with a time of 57.60 seconds, finishing just behind Iran's Hajar Safarzadeh, who set a new Asian Para Games record of 56.43 seconds.