Glasgow [Scotland], August 1 (ANI): India celebrated a historic day in para athletics on the Commonwealth Games 2026 on Saturday as Soman Rana clinched gold and Shubham Juyal claimed silver within the males’s F57 shot put ultimate, securing the nation’s first-ever gold medal and maiden double podium end within the occasion.
In an all-Indian battle for the highest spot, Soman produced a greatest throw of 13.40m to edge Shubham, who completed shut behind with an effort of 13.28m, in keeping with ESPN.
The end result marked India’s first gold medal within the males’s F57 shot put on the Commonwealth Games and the nation’s first-ever one-two end within the self-discipline.
For Soman, the triumph was the end result of a outstanding journey of resilience and perseverance. An Indian Army havildar, he was as soon as among the many nation’s best novice boxers, ending fifth on the National Championships in 2005. However, his sporting profession took an surprising flip in December 2006 when he misplaced a leg in a landmine blast whereas serving with the Gorkha Rifles alongside the Line of Control in Jammu and Kashmir.
During rehabilitation at Pune’s Artificial Limb Centre, Soman discovered a brand new objective in para athletics earlier than becoming a member of the Army Paralympic Node in 2017. Since then, he has represented India on the Tokyo 2020 and Paris 2024 Paralympics and steadily constructed a formidable resume that features silver on the 2022 Asian Para Games and bronze on the 2025 World Para Athletics Championships.
The Commonwealth Games gold provides one other main achievement to the 43-year-old’s embellished profession.
Shubham’s journey to the rostrum has been equally inspirational. The Roorkee native had aspired to develop into an Army officer like his father and had cleared the written examination for the Army Cadet College entry scheme in 2022. However, a devastating motorbike accident that 12 months resulted within the amputation of his leg, forcing him to desert that dream.
While recovering on the Artificial Limb Centre in Pune, Shubham selected para sports activities over vocational rehabilitation and joined the Army Paralympic Node beneath coach Rakesh Singh Rawat. Training alongside a few of India’s main para athletes helped him grow to be one of many nation’s brightest prospects within the F57 class.
Before Glasgow, Shubham had completed seventh on the 2025 World Para Athletics Championships and received medals on the Indian Open Para Athletics Grand Prix, National Para Athletics Championships and Khelo India Para Games.
Both athletes have been backed beneath the Target Olympic Podium Scheme (TOPS), receiving monetary help for worldwide competitions, nationwide teaching camps, coaching, gear and different help.
Their gold-silver end additional underlined India’s rising depth in para athletics and added one other memorable chapter to the nation’s medal-winning marketing campaign on the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow. (ANI)