Indian track and field athletes extended their remarkable run at the Asian Para Games 2026, delivering outstanding performances on October 21. The Indian contingent added two more gold medals to its tally, pushing the nation's gold count to 11. Ayush Verma produced a clutch throw in the men's shot put arena, while high jumper Praveen Kumar cleared the bar with exceptional precision to establish a new Games record. Teammate Bunty added to the celebration by claiming the silver medal in the same jumping discipline.
Ayush Verma Secures Shot Put Title on Fifth Throw
Competing in the men's shot put F53 category, Ayush Verma demonstrated steady composure and incremental improvement across his six attempts. His crowning moment arrived during the fifth round, when he recorded a winning mark of 8.16 meters. Ayush had opened the competition with a 7.39-meter effort, followed by marginal gains with 7.42 meters in round two and 7.50 meters in round three. He closed in on the lead with a fourth-round throw of 7.92 meters before sealing top spot with his fifth-attempt personal best of 8.16 meters. A closing mark of 7.54 meters was more than enough to maintain his position at the summit.
Alireza Hemami of Iran finished second with a throw of 8.09 meters to take home silver, while Kazakhstan's Makhambet Serikkaliyev registered 6.81 meters to round off the podium with bronze. This triumph marked Ayush's second podium finish at the continental event. Just a day prior, on October 20, he had clinched a bronze medal in the men's javelin throw F53/54 event.
Rapid Rise in Competitive Para Athletics Since 2020
Born on July 15, 1991, Ayush Verma entered competitive para athletics relatively late, starting his journey only in 2020. Under the guidance and technical training of coach Robin Kumar, he dedicated himself to the nuances of the F53 throw classification. His rigorous preparation enabled him to rapidly bridge the gap between national contests and elite international tournaments, yielding key medals for India.
His previous outing in the men's javelin throw F53/54 contest had also featured a double podium for the nation. Pradeep Kumar had earned back-to-back silver medals by producing a personal best distance of 27.45 meters. Ayush, meanwhile, managed an effort of 17.88 meters in that contest, securing the bronze medal courtesy of the Raza points scoring system.
Praveen Kumar Shatters High Jump Games Record
The men's high jump T44/64 event turned into a showcase of Indian dominance as Praveen Kumar cleared 2.05 meters. This exceptional clearance not only handed him the gold medal but also established a new Games record in the category. His technical execution over the bar left competitors well behind in the race for the title.
India enjoyed a one-two finish as Bunty pushed his limits to record a personal best height of 1.92 meters, securing the silver medal. Uzbekistan's Temurbek Giyazov took home the bronze medal after clearing 1.86 meters. Having two Indian athletes occupy the top two podium steps capped off a memorable day for the delegation, underscoring the team's depth across field events.
