New Delhi witnessed a spectacular end to the World Para Athletics Championships 2025 as Simran Sharma clinched silver in the women's 200m T12, adding to her gold medal in the 100m T12 event. This performance contributed to a historic medal haul for the host nation, India, which finished with a record-breaking 22 medals. The final tally included six gold, nine silver, and seven bronze medals, marking India's best-ever performance at the championships.
Simran's silver in the 200m came after clocking an Asian record time of 24.46 seconds. Initially, she finished third, but was elevated to second place after Venezuela's Alejandra Perez Lopez was disqualified. Simran had earlier won gold in the 100m T12 with a personal best of 11.95 seconds. The T12 class is for athletes with moderate visual impairment, who may compete with a guide. Simran runs alongside her guide, Umar Saifi.
After her victory, Simran revealed the challenges she faced, stating she was crying in the morning due to being unable to bend after running five races in two days. Despite the physical strain, she managed to shave off time from her personal best in the semi-final, clocking 24.92 seconds. Looking ahead, Simran aims to win three gold medals at the 2026 Asian Para Games in Japan, targeting the 100m, 200m, and potentially the long jump.
Adding to India's success on the final day, Preethi Pal secured silver in the women's 100m T35 with a season-best time of 14.33 seconds. Navdeep Singh also won silver in the men's javelin F41 with a season-best throw of 45.46m. Sandeep contributed a bronze medal in the men's 200m T44.
Throughout the competition, Indian athletes set three championship records and seven Asian records, and achieved over 30 personal bests. The World Para Athletics Championships 2025, held in New Delhi from September 27 to October 5, featured over 2000 athletes from 104 nations competing in 186 events. India's contingent included 73 athletes, comprising 54 men and 19 women.
India's previous best performance at the World Para Athletics Championships was at the 2024 edition in Kobe, Japan, where they won 17 medals. The host nation's impressive performance in New Delhi signifies the growth of para-sports in India and the increasing support for para-athletes.
