World Para Athletics Grand Prix: India sweeps men’s discus throw F11; Preeti Pal shines with silver in 100m sprint

NEW DELHI: The first day of the World Para Athletics Grand Prix 2025 saw a series of remarkable performances across track and field events, highlighting both international flair and strong home-ground domination by Indian athletes.

A total of 280 athletes from 20 countries have gathered to compete in 98 events over the next three days. Among them are 195 male and 85 female athletes, making this edition one of the most anticipated competitions on the global para-athletics calendar.

India made a clean sweep in the Men’s Discus Throw F11 event, where Sagar clinched the gold with a throw of 34.84 meters, followed by Balaji Rajendran, who secured silver with 26.98 meters, and Janak Singh Harsana, who bagged bronze with a mark of 25.13 meters.

In the Women’s 100 meters across T35, T36, T38, and T44 classifications, Australia’s Rhiannon Clarke emerged victorious, clocking 13.14 seconds. India’s Preeti Pal impressed with a silver finish at 14.85 seconds, while Germany’s Nicole secured bronze at 15.35 seconds.

The World Para Athletics Grand Prix kicked off in style at SAI JLN stadium with vibrant cultural performances, celebrating the spirit of para sports

In the presence of PCI President Devendra Jhajharia, Asian Paralympic Committee President Majid Rashed, Secretary (Sports)… pic.twitter.com/bivnUaT1FM

— SAI Media (@Media_SAI) March 11, 2025

Brazil’s Joeferson Marinho de Oliveira dominated the Men’s 100 meters T11 and T12 category with a stellar timing of 11.17 seconds. India’s Vishu claimed silver, while Pragadeeshwara Raja Moorthy added to India’s tally with a bronze.

The Men’s 100 meters T13 event saw Botswana’s Bose Mokgwathi take gold with 11.55 seconds, narrowly edging out compatriot Edwin Masuge, who earned silver with 11.57 seconds. India’s Meet Hareshkumar Tadhani took the bronze, finishing in 11.63 seconds.

In the Men’s 100 meters T35, Dmitrii Safronov, competing as a Neutral Para Athlete, secured gold in 12.08 seconds. India’s Abhishek Babasaheb Jadhav won silver with 13.76 seconds, while Vinay claimed bronze in 14.47 seconds.

Raha Al Harrasi of Oman won gold in the Men’s 100 meters T36 with a timing of 12.53 seconds, while Mikhail Kukus and Kirill Glazyrin clinched silver and bronze, respectively.

India showcased dominance in the Men’s 100 meters T44 category, where Mit Bharatbha Patel sprinted to gold with 12.67 seconds. Ababil Ali followed closely with silver in 13.81 seconds, and Malaysia’s Ivan Jovic Suan secured bronze with 13.84 seconds.

In the combined Men’s 100-meter T63 and T64 categories, Petr Mikhalkov, also representing Neutral Para Athletes, stormed to gold in 11.56 seconds. Japan’s Yuma Tamkai earned silver with 11.66 seconds, while India’s Pranav Prashant Desai captured bronze in 11.75 seconds.

Uzbekistan’s Kudratillokhon Marufkhujaev led the Men’s Discus Throw F37 event, winning gold with a throw of 47.97 meters. Japan’s Yamato Shimbo claimed silver with 47.94 meters, while India’s Haney secured bronze with 45.78 meters.

India dominated the Men’s High Jump T47 event, sweeping all three medals. Ram Pal led the charge with a gold-winning leap of 1.83 meters, followed by Chandresh Muljibhai Bagada with silver and Banti with bronze.

In the Women’s 100 meters T47, Anastasiia Soloveva sprinted to gold in 12.55 seconds, while Sri Lanka’s Janani Wickramasingha secured silver with 13.25 seconds. India’s Jayanti Behera rounded off the podium with a bronze in 13.62 seconds.

India’s Kiran Shriram Metkar delivered a strong performance in the Women’s 100 meters T54 category, clinching gold with a time of 22.9 seconds. (ANI)