Sandeep sets T44 world record for 400m Gold as India reach 100-medal mark at Asian Para Games 2026

Aichi-Nagoya [Japan], October 23 (ANI): Indian para-athlete Sandeep set a new T44 world record to win gold in the men's 400m T64 event, while compatriot Ajay Kumar claimed bronze as India reached the landmark of 100 medals at the 2026 Asian Para Games on Friday. Sandeep clocked 52.28 seconds to win the title, bettering the previous T44 world record held by Saudi Arabia's Nour Alsana by more than half a second. Ajay completed a double podium for India, finishing third in 53.61 seconds. The two medals took India's overall tally to 100, comprising 25 gold, 32 silver and 43 bronze medals. India remained fourth in the standings, with China leading the table with 333 medals at the time of writing. India are now within reach of their best-ever Asian Para Games medal haul of 111, achieved at the 2022 Hangzhou edition in 2023. With one-and-a-half days of competition remaining, the Indian contingent needs 12 more medals to surpass that record. It was another productive day for India, with Nitesh Kumar defeating compatriot Pramod Bhagat 21-18, 21-16 in the men's singles SL3 badminton final to win gold, while Pramod settled for silver. Naveen Sivakumar added another badminton gold, beating Indonesia's Fredy Setiawan 21-9, 21-17 in the men's singles SL4 final. In para archery, Harvinder Singh and Vijay Sundi won gold in men's recurve doubles, defeating China 5-1. India also collected several silver medals. Thulasimathi Murugesan lost 18-21, 11-21 to China's Yang Qiuxia in the women's singles SU5 badminton final, while Nithya Sre Sumathy Sivan went down 12-21, 13-21 to China's Li Fengmei in the women's singles SH6 final. In para archery, the women's recurve doubles pair of Pooja Jatyan and Bhawna Choudhary took silver after losing to China. Parmod Bijarnia retained his silver medal in the men's 1500m T46 event, clocking 4:09.65, while Nimisha Suresh won silver in the women's long jump T47 with a best effort of 5.37 metres. India also won bronze in men's doubles Class MD4 para table tennis, with Jehan Madan and Shubham Wadhwa losing to South Korea's Jincheol Park and Kyunghyun Kim. Meanwhile, Avani Lekhara qualified in first place for the final of the women's 50m rifle 3 positions SH1 event, while compatriot Mona Agarwal finished sixth in qualification. With the Indian contingent continuing to collect medals across disciplines, the country will look to surpass its previous best tally before the Games conclude. (ANI)