Deepthi Jeevanji Wins 400m T20 Gold with Games Record of 56.36 Seconds at Asian Para Games 2026

India’s Deepthi Jeevanji produced a commanding performance to win gold in the women’s 400m T20 final at the Asian Para Games 2026, clocking 56.36 seconds to establish a new Games record on Tuesday, October 20. 

The 2024 Paris Paralympics bronze medallist dominated the field in Aichi-Nagoya, finishing more than two seconds ahead of Japan’s Kanno N, who took silver in 58.92 seconds. Deepthi’s victory delivered India’s fifth gold medal at the ongoing Games and added another major achievement to the Indian athlete’s growing international record. Her performance was particularly impressive given that she had already broken the Asian Para Games record during the heats, underlining her form ahead of the final.

The Indian finished the race in 56.36 seconds, improving substantially on her heat timing of 57.57 seconds. The performance ensured that she did not merely retain her position as the favourite after qualifying but raised her level when the medals were at stake.

Deepthi’s 56.36-second performance was the standout result of the women’s 400m T20 final. Japan’s Kanno N finished second in 58.92 seconds, while Kato A of Japan took bronze in 1:00.26. The margin between Deepthi and the silver medallist was 2.56 seconds, a substantial gap in a one-lap race at this level. Kanno’s 58.92 seconds was also slower than the previous Games record of 58.69 seconds, which Deepthi had broken during the qualification round.

The final result demonstrated the Indian athlete’s ability to improve under pressure. Having already established herself as the fastest runner in the heats, she returned to the track and produced an even quicker performance in the final.

Her winning time of 56.36 seconds set the new Games record and secured the gold medal for India. The result also reinforced her position as one of the country’s leading para-athletes in track events.

Games Record Broken Twice in One Campaign

Deepthi’s gold-medal performance followed an equally impressive display in the heats. She clocked 57.57 seconds in Round 1 of the women’s 400m T20 event, finishing at the top of her heat and qualifying for the final.

That timing broke the previous Asian Para Games record of 58.69 seconds. Deepthi therefore entered the medal race having already rewritten the Games record, with the final providing an opportunity to improve further.

She delivered on that opportunity by lowering her time to 56.36 seconds, an improvement of 1.21 seconds over her heat performance. Compared with the previous record, her final time was 2.33 seconds faster. The progression across the two rounds highlighted her consistency and ability to build on an already strong performance. Rather than settling for the record established in the heats, Deepthi produced her fastest run of the competition when the gold medal was decided.

The double record-breaking performance made the women’s 400m T20 event one of the notable highlights of India’s athletics campaign at the Games.

Deepthi arrived at the Asian Para Games as an established name in Indian para athletics. Her bronze medal at the Paris 2024 Paralympics had already placed her among the country’s prominent athletes on the international stage.

The gold in Aichi-Nagoya represents another significant achievement in her career. Competing in the T20 classification, she demonstrated the speed and race execution required to finish well clear of the field.

Her performance also provides encouragement for India’s wider para-athletics contingent, which is competing for medals across track and field disciplines. Deepthi’s success delivered an early benchmark for the team and added to the country’s growing medal tally.

For the Indian athlete, the final was a clear improvement on her qualifying performance. Her 57.57-second heat run had been enough to break the Games record and secure progression, but she found another level in the final, stopping the clock at 56.36 seconds.

Fifth Gold for India at Asian Para Games 2026

Deepthi’s victory brought India its fifth gold medal at the 2026 Asian Para Games. The result continued the country’s positive start to the competition and marked another important moment for its athletics programme.

Her gold was also India’s first gold medal of the day, providing a strong start to the October 20 schedule. With the Games bringing together leading para-athletes from across Asia, performances of this calibre will be central to India’s overall medal campaign.

The final standings saw Deepthi take gold in 56.36 seconds, Kanno N claim silver in 58.92 seconds and Kato A finish third in 1:00.26. The gap between the Indian and Japanese athletes underlined the scale of Deepthi’s achievement. By breaking the Games record in the heats and then lowering it again in the final, Deepthi Jeevanji delivered a performance that went beyond winning a medal. 

She combined a record-setting run with a commanding victory, giving India its fifth gold at the Asian Para Games 2026 and adding another milestone to her international career.