India’s Historic 108-Medal Haul at Asian Para Games 2022: Athletics Led the Charge with 27 Golds

India delivered its most successful campaign in Asian Para Games history at Hangzhou, China, winning 108 medals to finish sixth in the overall standings at the 2022 Asian Para Games, held from October 22 to 28, 2023. 

The Indian contingent secured 27 gold, 32 silver and 49 bronze medals, surpassing the country's previous best tally of 72 medals at the 2018 edition.

The performance marked a significant milestone for Indian para sport, as the country crossed the 100-medal mark for the first time at the continental competition. Athletes across multiple disciplines contributed to the record haul, with para athletics emerging as India's most successful sport.

The Games were originally scheduled for 2022 but were postponed and rescheduled to October 2023 because of rising COVID-19 cases in China. India made the most of the opportunity, producing a landmark campaign that combined individual excellence with podium finishes across several disciplines.

Para athletics accounted for the largest share of India's success, producing 53 medals: 16 gold, 17 silver and 20 bronze. The discipline contributed almost half of the country's overall medal count and delivered several of the campaign's standout performances.

Pranav Soorma won gold in the men's F51 club throw, while Shailesh Kumar claimed the top prize in the men's T63 high jump. Nishad Kumar secured gold in the men's T47 high jump, and Ankur Dhama won the men's T11 5000m title.

Praveen Kumar also secured gold in the men's T64 high jump. Other athletics gold medallists included Sumit Antil in the men's F64 javelin throw, Haney in the men's F37/38 javelin throw and Sundar Singh Gurjar in the men's F46 javelin throw.

The women's events also contributed significantly. Deepthi Jeevanji won the women's T20 400m, Rakshitha Raju claimed the women's T11 1500m title, and Nimisha Chakkungalparambil won gold in the women's T47 long jump.

Sachin Sarjerao Khilari won the men's F46 shot put, while Solairaj Dharmaraj triumphed in the men's T64 long jump. Dilip Gavit also secured gold in the men's T47 400m. These performances demonstrated India's strength across track and field events.

Badminton and archery delivered crucial medals

Badminton was India's second-most successful sport at Hangzhou, yielding 21 medals: four gold, four silver and 13 bronze. Among the gold medallists were Suhas Lalinakere Yathiraj in men's singles SL4, Pramod Bhagat in men's singles SL3 and Thulasimathi Murugesan in women's singles SU5. India also won the men's doubles SL3-SL4 title through Tarun Dhillon and Nitesh Kumar.

Archery contributed seven medals, including two gold, three silver and two bronze. Rakesh Kumar and Sheetal Devi won the mixed team compound open title, while Sheetal Devi added an individual compound open gold. Her two gold medals made her one of the notable performers of India's archery campaign.

Shooting produced six medals, comprising two gold, two silver and two bronze. Avani Lekhara won the women's 10m air rifle standing SH1 event, while Siddhartha Babu claimed gold in the mixed 50m rifle prone competition.

India's medal-winning performances extended beyond athletics, badminton, archery and shooting. Chess delivered eight medals, including two gold, one silver and five bronze, while canoeing added another gold through Prachee Yadav in the women's KL2 event.

Powerlifting contributed three medals, including one silver and two bronze, while judo produced two medals, comprising one silver and one bronze. Rowing added one silver, while table tennis contributed two bronze medals. Swimming and taekwondo each added a bronze to the overall tally.

The distribution of medals reflected the breadth of India's competitiveness across the Games. Athletics drove the campaign, but contributions from badminton, archery, shooting, chess and smaller contingents helped the country achieve its record total.

India's 108-medal finish in Hangzhou represented a substantial improvement on its previous best of 72 medals at the 2018 Asian Para Games. The 27 gold medals also demonstrated the contingent's ability to convert strong performances into titles across several disciplines.

The campaign featured memorable performances from established champions and athletes competing in different classifications. Sumit Antil's javelin victory, Avani Lekhara's shooting gold, Sheetal Devi's archery double and India's badminton titles were among the highlights of the competition.

India ultimately finished sixth in the overall standings with 108 medals — 27 gold, 32 silver and 49 bronze. The result established a new benchmark for the country's participation at the Asian Para Games and represented a defining moment in the development of Indian para sport.

The Hangzhou campaign demonstrated the depth of India's para-athletic talent and the contribution of multiple disciplines to the country's success. By surpassing its previous medal record and crossing 100 medals for the first time, India concluded the 2022 Asian Para Games with its most successful performance in the event's history.