India finish 2023 World Para Athletics Championship with best-ever medal haul

India finished the 2023 World Para Athletics Championship in Paris on Sunday with ten medals, recording its best ever medal haul at these Games.

Also, 18 Indian athletes (14 men and 4 women) qualified for the 2024 Paris Paralympics on the basis of finishing in the top 4 at their events here.

With three gold medals, four silver medals and three bronze medals, this improves on the mark set at the 2019 edition in Dubai. There had been 2 gold, 2 silver and 5 bronze medals won back then.

India’s first gold medal this time was won by Sumit Antil in the Men’s Javelin Throw F64 category, where he bettered his own World Record with a 70.83m throw. Ajeet Singh, another javelin thrower, won another gold medal in the F46 category.

Shot putter Sachin Khilari won the other gold medal.

Indian medallists at 2023 World Para Athletics Championship

Sumit Antil, Gold, Javelin Throw F-64

Sachin Khilari Sarjerao, Gold, Shot Put F-46

Ajeet Singh, Gold, Javelin Throw F-46

Nishad Kumar, Silver, High Jump T-47

Yogesh Kathuniya, Silver, Discus Throw F-56

Shailesh Kumar, Silver, High Jump T-63

Rinku Hooda, Silver, Javelin Throw F-46

Praveen Kumar, Bronze, High Jump T-64

Ekta Bhayan, Bronze, Club Throw F-51

Pooja, Javelin Throw, Bronze F-54

All these 10 medallists qualified for the 2024 Paris Paralympics. Also, 8 other athletes won quotas on the basis of finishing 4th. Top four finishers in all disciplines at the 2023 World Championships were in line to win Paralympic quotas.

Other Indians who qualified for 2024 Paris Paralympics

Gavit Dilip Mahadu, 400m T-47

Mariyappan Thangavelu, High Jump T-63

Sundar Singh Gurjar, Javelin Throw F-46

Navdeep, Javelin Throw F-41

Soman Rana, Shot Put F-57

Kashish Lakra, Club Throw F-51

Bhagyashri Mahavrao Jadhav, Shot Put F-34