Ayush Verma Secures Gold at Asian Para Games 2026, Boosting India's Medal Count

Indian para-athlete Ayush Verma has made headlines by winning a gold medal in the men's shot put F53 event at the Asian Para Games 2026. This victory not only adds to India's gold medal count but also enhances its overall tally to 38. Alongside Ayush's achievement, Paralympic medallist Suhas Yathiraj has advanced to the semifinals in para-badminton, ensuring India remains competitive for more medals. However, other athletes faced challenges, with some exiting in the quarterfinals. Read on to learn more about India's performance at this prestigious event.

By Narendra Chaudhary Oct 21, 2026, 08:32 IST

Ayush Verma's Triumph in Shot Put

On Wednesday, Indian para-athlete Ayush Verma achieved a remarkable feat by winning the gold medal in the men's shot put F53 event at the Asian Para Games 2026. This victory elevated India's gold medal tally to 10 and the overall count to 38. Ayush's best throw measured 8.16 meters, which he accomplished on his fifth attempt, earning him the top position on the podium.

Earlier, he had secured a bronze medal in the men's javelin F53/54 event on Tuesday. With this latest gold, India maintained its sixth position in the overall medal standings at this prestigious para-sporting event.

Para-Badminton Highlights: Suhas Advances, Others Exit

In the para-badminton segment, Paralympic medalist Suhas Yathiraj made his way to the men's singles SL4 semifinals after defeating South Korea's N. Cho in straight games, with scores of 21-12 and 21-16, thus guaranteeing himself a medal.

Conversely, Sukant Kadam faced a quarterfinal exit in the same category, losing a tightly contested match against Indonesia's Fredy Setiawan with scores of 17-21, 21-18, and 15-21.

Prem Kumar Ale also exited in the men's singles WH1 quarterfinals, falling to South Korea's Haeseong Park with scores of 13-21 and 12-21. In the women's singles WH1 event, Pallavi Kaluvehalli's journey ended after three consecutive group-stage defeats, losing 4-21 and 4-21 to Japan's Sena Tomoyose.

Close Call for Indian Archers

In para-archery, India narrowly missed out on another medal as Toman Kumar and Shyam Sunder Swami finished fourth in the men's compound doubles event. They lost the bronze medal match to China with a score of 153-154.

Toman's final shot, which scored an eight, was pivotal; had he scored a nine, it would have led to a shoot-off, while a ten would have clinched victory for India.

Conclusion

Ayush's gold medal has significantly boosted India's campaign in Nagoya, while Suhas's advancement to the semifinals keeps the nation in the running for another medal in para-badminton.