Gandhinagar, October 25, 2026 (Yes Punjab News)
Gujarat athletes secured eight medals, including one gold, two silver and five bronze, at the 2026 Asian Para Games in Japan, with Anjana Bumbadiya’s victory in the women’s 400m T47 event emerging as the standout performance.
Bumbadiya, from Sabarkantha district, clinched gold in the event with a time of 59.97 seconds, bringing a major achievement for the state at the continental competition held across Aichi Prefecture and Nagoya.
Another athlete from Sabarkantha, Tejalben Damor, won silver in the women’s 400m T12 with a time of 57.60 seconds. She also claimed bronze in the women’s 200m T12, finishing in 25.23 seconds.
Nimisha, from Gandhinagar, secured silver in the T47 long jump with an effort of 5.37 metres.
Bhavnagar’s Rakesh Bhatt added two bronze medals in the men’s T37 sprint events, finishing third in the 100m in 11.50 seconds and the 200m in 23.64 seconds.
Gujarat also earned two bronze medals in para table tennis. Bhavinaben Patel of Mehsana finished third in women’s singles Class 4-5, while Ahmedabad’s Sonalben Patel secured bronze in Class 3.
The state government highlighted its financial support for several of these athletes as part of its efforts to encourage sporting excellence. Bhavinaben, an Arjuna Award recipient, received assistance for participating in the 2023 Asian Games and the 2024 Paris Olympics, along with a ₹50 lakh award for her medal-winning performance at the 2023 Asian Games in Hangzhou.
Nimisha received financial assistance for the 2023 Asian Games and was awarded ₹30 lakh for winning gold in the long jump at the Hangzhou event. Sonalben and Bhatt also received financial assistance for their participation in the 2023 Games and other international competitions.
The Gujarat government said the athletes’ performances reflected their determination and talent, adding that such achievements could inspire more persons with disabilities to pursue competitive sports and represent India internationally.
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