Rinku Hooda shines as India dominates men's javelin at World Para Athletics Grand Prix 2025

Rinku clinched the gold medal in the F46 category with an impressive throw of 60.26 meters, continuing his golden streak after his recent triumph at the 22nd National Para Athletics Championships in Goa and a silver medal at the fourth Asian Para Games.

His commanding throw placed him ahead of Sri Lanka's Gamini Ketawala, who registered a throw of 56.88 meters, and Uzbekistan's Elyorbek Elmatov, who settled for bronze with 43.01 meters, as per a release from PCI.

India's dominance was further underlined in the men's javelin F12, F37, F42, and F43 combined category, where Indian athletes swept the podium. Pushpendra Singh led the pack with a gold-winning throw of 57.57 meters, followed by Mohit who secured silver with 45.45 meters, and Jaswant who took bronze with 45.94 meters, marking another clean sweep for the hosts.

The momentum continued across other field events, with Ritender adding another gold for India in the men's javelin F40/F41 category with a throw of 30.33 meters. Kazakhstan's Alexey Lukutin and Uzbekistan's Yuldosbek Hajiev finished second and third respectively. In the men's discus throw F56/F57 event, India's Atul Kaushik emerged victorious with a throw of 43.92 meters, while compatriot Ram Kumar Yadav clinched silver with 30.59 meters. The bronze went to the Philippines' Maekel Lita, who managed 22.79 meters.

India's women athletes also made their presence felt. In the shot put event, Svetlana Mironova claimed gold with a throw of 13.97 meters, while India's Khushboo Gill took silver with 9.52 meters and Ananya Bansal earned bronze with a 7.73-meter effort. In the women's javelin F34 category, India's Baghyashri Madhavrao Jadhav won gold with a throw of 12.73 meters, edging out Uzbekistan's Dilsuz Ziyodulloeva, who took silver with 11.30 meters. Mubina claimed the bronze.

On the track, Edwin Masuage of Botswana sprinted to gold in the men's 400 meters T13/T20 event with a time of 50.60 seconds. He was followed closely by Denis Shabalin, a Neutral Para Athlete, who clocked 50.40 seconds for silver, while Botswana's Bose Mokgwathi took bronze with 50.81 seconds. In the men's 400 meters T35/T36 category, Mikhail Kuskus topped the podium with a time of 56.10 seconds, with India's Abhishek Babasaheb Jadhav taking silver in 64.09 seconds, and bronze going to Kirill Glazyrin.

In the men's long jump T20/T36/T37 event, Neutral Para Athlete Matvei Lakushev leaped to gold with a distance of 7.17 meters, followed by Chermen Kobesov with a silver-winning jump of 5.86 meters, while Oman's Taha Al Harrasi bagged bronze with 5.13 meters. In the men's long jump T42/T44 event, Sri Lanka's Anil Prasanna won gold with a 5.36-meter effort, while India's Mit Bharatbhai Patel and Ramsinghbhai Govindbhai secured silver and bronze respectively.

Brazil's Bartolomeu Da Silva captured gold in the men's 400 meters T37 event with a time of 52 seconds, followed by Neutral Para Athletes Anton and Andrei. In another dominant show by India, the men's 400 meters T47 event saw Dilip Mahadu Gavit storm to gold with a time of 48.78 seconds. Jasbeer, representing the Indian Army, followed with 49.64 seconds to take silver, while Bhavikkumar Dineshbhai claimed bronze in 50.32 seconds. The men's long jump T47 category saw Neutral Para Athlete Nikita Kotukov grab gold with a leap of 6.79 meters, Sri Lanka's Buddika Fernando took silver with 6.61 meters, and India's Ajay Singh secured bronze with 6.18 meters.

India's performance, especially in the javelin events, set the tone for a promising campaign at the Grand Prix, reaffirming the country's growing stature in para athletics on the global stage, the release added. (ANI)