Indian sprinter Preeti Pal claims her second silver medal

Indian Paralympic medalist Preeti Pal successfully captured her second silver medal of Wednesday's track and field events at the Asian Para Games in Aichi-Nagoya, Japan. Competing in the highly anticipated women's 100m T35 category, she crossed the finish line in 13.98 seconds. She finished narrowly behind China's Zhou Xia, a world record holder who established a new Games record during the heat. Earlier in the day, she also stepped onto the podium for the women's 200m T35 final. She clocked a remarkable 29.53 seconds to secure silver, again finishing behind Zhou Xia and comfortably ahead of Iraq's Fa Suwaed. Pal has quickly become one of the most reliable sprinters in the Indian para-athletics contingent, consistently delivering results on the continental stage.

Also read: Kasthuri Rajamani secures silver medal in women's para-powerlifting at Asian Para Games​​​​​​​

Medal rush continues for India

Beyond the track, Indian athletes dominated multiple disciplines throughout Wednesday's schedule. Kasthuri Rajamani claimed silver in the women's 67kg para-powerlifting event. She successfully cleared 108kg on her final attempt, edging out South Korea's Kim Hyeonghui for the second spot on the podium. Indian throwers also showcased exceptional form. Manjeet earned a silver medal in the men's javelin throw F13 with his career-best performance. Furthermore, the men's shot put F46 team completed a remarkable podium sweep. Sachin Khilari took gold with a Games-record throw of 15.87m, followed by Mohd Yasser with silver and Praveen with bronze. This echoed India's brilliant performance in the men's discus throw F43/F44/F62/F64 final, where Devender Kumar, Rakesh, and Pardeep Kumar previously secured all three podium places.

Field athletes contributed heavily to the nation's rising medal tally. Praveen Kumar leaped to gold in the men's high jump T64, clearing an Asian Para Games record height of 2.05 metres. His compatriot Banti took silver with a personal best of 1.92 metres. In the women's shot put F34, Bhagyashri Jadhav earned silver with a personal-best throw of 8.19m. Track events saw further success as Rakeshbhai Bhatt claimed bronze in the men's 100m T37. These collective performances have significantly strengthened India's position in the overall standings at the continental competition.