Ayush Verma won men’s shot put gold at the Asian Para Games 2026, taking India’s medal tally to 38, while Suhas Yathiraj secured a semifinal berth.
Indian para-athlete Ayush Verma delivered an impressive performance at the Asian Para Games 2026 in Nagoya, winning gold in the men’s shot put F53 event on Wednesday. His victory increased India’s gold medal count to 10 and lifted the country’s overall medal tally to 38.
The result strengthened India’s position in the continental competition, where the country remained sixth in the overall standings. Indian athletes also produced notable performances in para-badminton, while the para-archery team narrowly missed out on a podium finish.
Ayush Verma secured the top position in the men’s shot put F53 event with a best throw of 8.16 metres. He achieved the winning distance on his fifth attempt in the seated throwing competition.
The gold medal marked another significant achievement for the Indian athlete, who had already earned a bronze medal in the men’s javelin F53/54 event on Tuesday.
His double-medal performance highlighted his contribution to India’s campaign at the Nagoya Games. The shot put victory also added to the country’s gold medal collection, taking the total to 10.
With 38 medals overall, India continued its pursuit of a stronger position in the competition’s standings.
India’s para-badminton campaign received a boost as Paralympic medallist Suhas Yathiraj advanced to the semifinals of the men’s singles SL4 category.
Suhas defeated South Korea’s N. Cho in straight games, winning 21-12 and 21-16. His convincing performance secured him a place in the last four and guaranteed India at least a bronze medal in the event.
The semifinal qualification was an important development for the Indian contingent, as Suhas remained in contention for a higher finish.
His performance offered further encouragement following Ayush Verma’s gold medal-winning effort in athletics.
India’s Sukant Kadam could not progress beyond the quarterfinal stage of the men’s singles SL4 competition.
He faced Indonesia’s Fredy Setiawan in a closely contested encounter that went to three games. Kadam lost the opening game 17-21 but responded strongly to take the second 21-18.
However, Setiawan regained control in the deciding game, winning 21-15 to eliminate the Indian shuttler from the competition.
Despite Kadam’s determined effort to extend the match, the Indonesian player secured the victory and progressed to the semifinals.
India’s Prem Kumar Ale also exited the para-badminton competition in the quarterfinals. Competing in the men’s singles WH1 category, he faced South Korea’s Haeseong Park.
Ale was unable to overcome his opponent and lost in straight games, 13-21 and 12-21, ending his campaign at the last-eight stage.
In the women’s singles WH1 event, Pallavi Kaluvehalli’s run concluded during the group stage. She suffered her third consecutive defeat after losing 4-21, 4-21 to Japan’s Sena Tomoyose.
The result prevented Pallavi from progressing to the knockout rounds, bringing her participation in the event to an end.
India came close to securing another medal in para-archery but finished fourth in the men’s compound doubles event.
The Indian combination of Toman Kumar and Shyam Sunder Swami narrowly lost the bronze medal match against China, going down 153-154.
The contest was decided by a single point, making it a particularly close finish for the Indian pair. Toman’s final arrow scored eight points, which proved decisive in the outcome.
A nine-point shot would have forced a shoot-off, while a 10-point effort would have given India the bronze medal outright.
The narrow defeat denied the pair a podium finish despite their competitive performance throughout the contest.
Ayush Verma’s shot put gold provided a major highlight for India on Wednesday, increasing the country’s medal count to 38, including 10 gold medals. His earlier javelin bronze further underlined his contribution to the athletics campaign.
Meanwhile, Suhas Yathiraj’s progress to the para-badminton semifinals guaranteed India another medal in the SL4 category. His next performance could determine whether the country adds a silver or gold medal to its tally.
Although several Indian badminton players exited their respective events, and the para-archery team narrowly missed bronze, the contingent continued to compete across multiple disciplines.
Conclusion
Ayush Verma’s gold medal in the men’s shot put F53 event strengthened India’s campaign at the Asian Para Games 2026 in Nagoya. With 10 gold medals and 38 medals overall, India remained sixth in the standings. Suhas Yathiraj’s semifinal qualification offered another opportunity for a podium finish, keeping India’s medal hopes alive as the competition progressed.