Indian Athletes Shine at National Para Athletics Championships in Odisha

Coach Celebrates Athletes' Achievements

Gajendra Singh, the coach for para athletics, expressed his delight regarding the impressive performances of Indian athletes at the recently concluded National Para Athletics Championships held in Odisha. He believes these achievements will significantly enhance India's medal count at the upcoming Asian Para Games.

Championship Highlights and State Rankings

The 24th edition of the National Para Athletics Championship concluded at Kalinga Stadium in Bhubaneswar on Saturday. Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi attended the closing ceremony, where he awarded medals to the top-performing para-athletes. Haryana topped the medal tally with an impressive 95 medals, followed by Tamil Nadu with 51 medals, and Gujarat with 30 medals. The host state, Odisha, performed admirably, securing 17 medals, including five golds.

Spotlight on Star Athletes

In an interview, Coach Gajendra highlighted the achievements of three of his athletes, including his wife, Simran Sharma, who is a bronze medalist from the Paris Paralympics 2024 and a World Championship gold medalist. He also mentioned Preethi Pal, a two-time bronze medalist at the Paralympics and a multiple-time World Championship medalist, along with Chirag Tyagi, who recently excelled in the championships and achieved a world ranking of number one in his category. Gajendra expressed confidence in their potential for continued success, especially with the upcoming Asian Para Games.

Training Plans and Future Goals

Gajendra noted that Simran is currently recovering from an injury and will begin treatment in May. He mentioned that the athletes will undergo a month-long training camp in Bengaluru to escape the heat of Delhi, followed by a final trial for the Asian Games.

Wide Participation Across the Nation

The championship attracted 1,460 para-athletes from 28 states across India, showcasing the growing interest and talent in para athletics.