The World Para Athletics Grand Prix 2025 kicked off on Tuesday, March 11, at New Delhi’s iconic Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium, marking the beginning of a thrilling competition that celebrates athleticism, inclusivity, and global unity. The opening ceremony drew a lively audience, with athletes, dignitaries, and fans applauding the spirit of para-sports.
This year’s edition has attracted 280 athletes from 20 nations, including 195 men and 85 women, competing in 98 events over three action-packed days. The opening day witnessed several outstanding performances, with Indian athletes making a strong impact across multiple events.
In the Men’s Discus Throw F11 category, India secured a podium sweep. Sagar clinched gold with a 34.84m throw, followed by Balaji Rajendran (26.98m) with silver and Janak Singh Harsana (25.13m) with bronze.
Australia’s Rhiannon Clarke triumphed in the Women’s 100m sprint (T35, T36, T38, T44), clocking 13.14 seconds. India’s Preeti Pal put up a commendable performance, securing silver with 14.85 seconds, while Germany’s Nicole finished third at 15.35 seconds.
Brazil’s Joeferson Marinho de Oliveira dominated the Men’s 100m T11-T12 event with a remarkable 11.17-second finish. India’s Vishu claimed silver, and Pragadeeshwara Raja Moorthy added another bronze to India’s tally.
The Men’s 100m T13 race saw Botswana’s Bose Mokgwathi edge out his compatriot Edwin Masuge for gold, clocking 11.55 seconds to 11.57 seconds. India’s Meet Hareshkumar Tadhani secured bronze with 11.63 seconds.
In the Men’s 100m T35, Neutral Para Athlete Dmitrii Safronov won gold in 12.08 seconds, followed by India’s Abhishek Babasaheb Jadhav (13.76s) and Vinay (14.47s). Oman’s Raha Al Harrasi took gold in the T36 category with 12.53 seconds, with Mikhail Kukus and Kirill Glazyrin completing the podium.
India dominated the Men’s 100m T44, with Mit Bharatbha Patel sprinting to gold (12.67s), Ababil Ali taking silver (13.81s), and Malaysia’s Ivan Jovic Suan securing bronze (13.84s). In the combined T63-T64 event, Neutral Para Athlete Petr Mikhalkov took gold (11.56s), Japan’s Yuma Tamkai won silver (11.66s), and India’s Pranav Prashant Desai bagged bronze (11.75s).
Uzbekistan’s Kudratillokhon Marufkhujaev claimed victory in the Men’s Discus Throw F37 with a 47.97m throw, narrowly surpassing Japan’s Yamato Shimbo (47.94m). India’s Haney secured bronze with 45.78m.
Indian athletes swept the podium in the Men’s High Jump T47, with Ram Pal claiming gold (1.83m), Chandresh Muljibhai Bagada taking silver, and Banti earning bronze.
In the Women’s 100m T47, Anastasiia Soloveva won gold (12.55s), Sri Lanka’s Janani Wickramasingha took silver (13.25s), and India’s Jayanti Behera secured bronze (13.62s).
India’s Kiran Shriram Metkar made an impressive mark in the Women’s 100m T54, winning gold with a 22.9-second finish.
As the Grand Prix progresses, these incredible performances highlight the resilience and determination of para-athletes worldwide, reinforcing the event’s significance as a platform for excellence and inspiration.