Ayush Verma Shines with Gold at Asian Para Games 2026

Ayush Verma's Triumph in Shot Put

In a remarkable display of skill, Indian para-athlete Ayush Verma secured the gold medal in the men's shot put F53 event during the Asian Para Games 2026 held in Aichi-Nagoya, Japan, on Wednesday. This victory elevated India's gold medal tally to 10 and the overall count to 38.

Ayush achieved his best throw of 8.16 meters on his fifth attempt, earning him the top position on the podium. Earlier, he had also claimed a bronze medal in the men's javelin F53/54 event the day before.

India's Standing in the Medal Tally

With Ayush's impressive performance, India maintained its sixth place in the overall medal standings at this prestigious para-sporting event.

Suhas Yathiraj Advances in Para-Badminton

In para-badminton, Paralympic medalist Suhas Yathiraj progressed to the semifinals of the men's singles SL4 category after defeating South Korea's N. Cho in straight games, with scores of 21-12 and 21-16, securing his spot for a medal.

Conversely, Sukant Kadam faced a tough quarterfinal elimination in the same category, narrowly losing to Indonesia's Fredy Setiawan in a three-game match, with scores of 17-21, 21-18, and 15-21.

Challenges in Men's Singles WH1

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 defeats in the group stage, losing 4-21 and 4-21 to Japan's Sena Tomoyose.

Near Miss in Para-Archery

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

Toman's final shot, which scored an eight, was crucial; a nine 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.