India Shines at Nagoya: Anjanaben Bumbadiya and Jayanti Behera Win Medals in Women's 400m T47

India's Triumph in Para Athletics

Nagoya: In a remarkable achievement for India, Anjanaben Bumbadiya and Jayanti Behera secured gold and silver medals, respectively, in the Women's 400m T47 event at the Nagoya City Mizuho Park Athletic Stadium on Thursday.

Anjanaben triumphed in the 400m T47 race, finishing with a time of 59.97 seconds, earning 848 Raza points. She crossed the finish line just ahead of fellow Indian Jayanti, who took silver with a time of 1:00.65 seconds (815 Raza points). Thailand's Sasirawan Inthachot claimed the bronze medal, clocking in at 1:02.58 seconds (714 Raza points), while Nepal's Prabha Angdembe finished fourth with a time of 1:15.81 seconds (89 Raza points).

Anjanaben came close to breaking the Asian Para Games record of 58.39 seconds, previously set by the renowned Chinese athlete Li Lu during the 2018 Jakarta Asian Games.

Additionally, Tejalben Damor contributed to India's medal tally by winning silver in the Women's 400m T12 event, finishing impressively in 57.60 seconds. This performance further showcased India's prowess in para athletics.

Iran's Hajar Safarzadeh clinched the gold medal in this event with a time of 56.43 seconds, while China's Shen Yaqin (with guide He Yuchong) secured bronze with a time of 58.04 seconds.

Anjanaben, hailing from Gujarat, was born in 2001 with a congenital upper-limb impairment, having one arm shorter than the other since birth. She is rapidly emerging as one of India's top female para-sprinters and is the reigning champion from the Khelo India Para Games 2025, where she achieved her personal best of 1:00.04 seconds at the 2025 World Para Athletics Championships in New Delhi.

Jayanti, born in 1999 in Odisha, is classified under T47. She faced a tragic incident in her early childhood, suffering severe burns at the age of one after falling into an earthen stove. This resulted in a permanent contracture of her left elbow and hand. Her talent was recognized by her school coach, Bishnu Prasad Mishra, who enrolled her at his Gurukul Athletic Training Centre in Sakhigopal, providing training at no cost.

Jayanti has previously won two medals at the 2018 Asian Para Games, including a silver in the Women's 400m (T47) with a time of 59.71 seconds and a bronze in the Women's 200m (T47) with a time of 27.45 seconds. She also earned the title of World Youth Champion in the 400m at the World Junior Para Athletics Championships in Nottwil, Switzerland, in 2017.