Asian Para Games: Gujarat Athletes Bag One Gold, Seven Other Medals
Gandhinagar, October 25: Gujarat's athletes returned from the Asian Para Games 2026 with eight medals in total. The Aichi-Nagoya, Japan event yielded one gold, two silver and five bronze for the state.
Anjana Bambadiya of Sabarkantha claimed the top prize, winning gold in the women's 400m T47 race with a timing of 59.97 seconds.
Tejalben Damor, also from Sabarkantha, won two silver medals. She took second in the women's 400m T12 event in 57.60 seconds and in the women's 200m T12 event in 25.23 seconds.
In the T47 long jump, Nimisha from Gandhinagar won silver after a leap of 5.37 metres.
Bhavnagar's Rakesh Bhatt secured two bronze medals in the men's 37 sprint events. He completed the 100m in 11.50 seconds and the 200m in 23.64 seconds, both good enough for third place.
In para table tennis, two more bronze medals came in. Bhavinaben Patel of Mehsana finished third in the women's singles Class 4-5 event, and Sonalben Patel of Ahmedabad took third in the Class 3 event.
Bhavinaben Patel, an Arjuna Award winner and a former international representative for India, had earlier received support from the Gujarat government. She was given Rs 5 lakh for the 2023 Asian Games and Rs 10 lakh for the 2024 Paris Olympics. She also received Rs 50 lakh from the state for her medal at the 2023 Asian Games in Hangzhou, China.
Sonalben Patel was provided Rs 5 lakh to compete at the 2023 Asian Games and Rs 10 lakh for the 2024 Paris Olympics.
The state government granted Rs 5 lakh to Nimisha for the 2023 Asian Games. After she won gold in the long jump at the 2023 Asian Games in Hangzhou, she received Rs 30 lakh. Rakesh Bhatt was given Rs 5 lakh in assistance for the 2023 Asian Games.
The government described this support as part of its continuous efforts to encourage players under Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel's leadership.
The government's statement noted, "The performance of Gujarat's para-athletes reflects their hard work, talent and resolve. It can inspire persons with disabilities to take up competitive sports and represent India internationally."