Asian Para Games: Suvarna Raj Strikes Gold in Discus Throw
Suvarna Raj secures gold in women's discus throw at Asian Para Games 2026, while India adds silver and bronze to its growing tally.
India's campaign at the Asian Para Games 2026 reached a new high on Thursday as Suvarna Raj delivered a powerhouse performance to clinch the gold medal in the women’s discus throw F54 event. Her victory provided a golden start to the day for the Indian contingent, marking the nation's 15th gold medal of the tournament.
Suvarna Raj Dominates the Circle
Competing in a field of six athletes, Suvarna Raj demonstrated remarkable consistency throughout the competition. Across her six attempts, she managed to cross the 15-metre mark four times, keeping her competitors under pressure.
The decisive moment came during her fifth attempt, where she recorded a best throw of 15.66 metres, securing the top spot on the podium. Her dominance was evident as she edged out Shahla Hadidi of Iran, who took the silver with a throw of 15.45 metres. The bronze medal went to Vietnam’s Nguyen Thi Ngoc Thuy, who finished with a best effort of 14.65 metres.
Mixed Fortunes for Para-Shuttlers and Archers
While the discus throw brought gold, other Indian athletes fought hard for podium finishes in badminton and archery.
Badminton Battle
In the mixed doubles SL3-SU5 event, the duo of Manisha Ramadass and Pramod Bhagat secured a bronze medal. The pair put up a spirited fight in the semifinals against Indonesia’s Oktila Leani Ratri and Hikmat Ramdani. After winning the first game 21-16, the Indian pair unfortunately lost the subsequent two games 13-21 and 17-21.
Despite this loss, hope for gold remains alive in the event, as the Indonesian pair is set to face another Indian duo, Thulasimathi Murugesan and Nitesh Kumar, in the final.
Archery Heartbreak
Earlier in the day, para-archer Swati Chaudhary claimed a silver medal in the women’s W1 individual archery event. Swati was on the verge of creating history by winning India's first gold in archery at this edition, holding a 4-2 lead after three ends. However, China’s Mengkan Cen staged a dramatic comeback to win the final 6-4, leaving Swati with the silver.
India's Medal Haul
With a gold, a silver, and a bronze added on Thursday, India continues to make significant strides in the overall standings. The country's total medal tally now stands at 65 medals, consisting of:
- Gold: 15
- Silver: 22
- Bronze: 28