HANGZHOU: The gold rush for India in the ongoing 4th Asian Para Games continued with Deepthi Jeevanji bagging a gold medal in the women’s 400m-T20, and setting a new Asian Para record and games record on Tuesday.
Deepthi, with a record timing of 56.69s, secured a top podium finish ahead of Thailand’s Orawan Kaising who gave her personal best time of 59.00s and still had to settle for silver. Japan’s Niina Kanno bagged a bronze by clocking her personal best of 59.73s.
In the men’s 400m-T64 final, Ajay Kumar gave his personal best timing of 54.85s to clinch a silver medal. Saudi Arabia’s Nour Mohammed broke the Asian Para record with a timing of 52.81s. Thailand’s Jafa Seapla settled for bronze with a timing of 55.09s.
Earlier in the day, Manish Kaurav clinched a bronze medal in the Canoe Men’s KL3 Final event to open India’s medal count on Day 2.
Manish clocked 44.605s to secure a podium finish falling short of the gold by just 2.347s. Uzbekistan’s Khasan Kuldashev bagged the gold medal with a timing of 42.258s. While Kazakhstan’s Zhalgas Taikenov settled for a silver medal with a timing of 44.605s.
India’s Prachi Yadav clinched a gold medal in the Canoe women’s KL2 event on Day 2 after securing a silver on Day 1 in the women’s VL2 final.
The Indian contingent will be keen to replicate the success of Day 1 as they ended with 17 medals – 6 gold, 6 silver and 5 bronze.
This time India has sent 303 athletes – 191 men and 112 women – to the fourth edition of the Asian Para Games which is the largest contingent to the continental event.
At the 2018 Asian Para Games, India sent a total of 190 athletes and returned with 72 medals, including 15 gold, for their best performance at the quadrennial event. (ANI)