New Delhi [India], October 5 (ANI): Curtains got here down on the New Delhi 2025 World Para Athletics Championships on Sunday, which witnessed greater than 2200 contributors from 100-plus nations competing for 186 medal occasions, with the first-time hosts pocketing a document 22 medals, together with 6 Gold, 9 Silver and seven Bronze, their best-ever efficiency until date.
By internet hosting the World Para Athletics Championships 2025, India has entered an area often reserved for elite and established organisers. The iconic Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium was witness to the 2010 Commonwealth Games that included para athletics as a medal occasion, however this WPAC has pitchforked India’s functionality to seamlessly host a global occasion to a ‘completely different degree,’ really feel a number of worldwide para athletes, World Champions and Indian sports activities icons.
India is the fourth Asian nation after Qatar, UAE and Japan to host the world para athletics championships.
At earlier world championships, India had clinched 9 medals on the Dubai 2019 version, 10 medals at Paris 2023 and 17 medals on the 2024 Kobe version. In the Paralympics too, India’s medal tally witnessed a surge from two medals on the 2004 Athens to 4 medals in 2016 Rio de Janeiro, 19 medals in 2020 Tokyo and 29 medals, their greatest efficiency until date, on the 2024 Paris Paralympics.
The telling rise within the efficiency of Indian para athletes is clearly a mirrored image of the federal government’s help in the direction of them. In WPAC 2025, 15 athletes below the federal government’s Target Olympic Podium Scheme and one from the Khelo India programme completed among the many medals. 23 TOPS group athletes and 22 Khelo India athletes competed at WPAC 2025.
Fleur Jong, a six-time gold medallist in World Championships and three-time Paralympic medallist from The Netherlands, praised the Indian hospitality and the welcoming angle of the hosts. Fleur, a double amputee, gained two gold medals right here within the lengthy leap and 100m T64 class.
‘It has been a incredible expertise right here in India. The individuals, together with the officers, volunteers, medical workers, resort workers all have been very welcoming and at all times prepared to assist. The occasion has been organised very nicely. I sit up for coming again at any time when the chance comes,’ Fleur Jong mentioned as quoted by a press launch from the Paralympic Committee of India (PCI).
Deepa Malik, winner of a number of worldwide medals on the Paralympic Games, Asian Para Games and World Championships, and a veteran administrator, mentioned that each residents and the Government should now acknowledge the achievements of para athletes.
Deepa additional added that she had by no means anticipated that India could be organising the World Para Athletics Championships so nicely. ‘As an athlete and as an administrator, I’m completely elated to say that India has efficiently hosted 100-plus nations, and this has been the biggest-ever celebration of para sport in India. This goes to create a lot consciousness and love within the hearts of Indians and never simply India on the international map. Last time after we had the most important conglomeration of Para Sports in a multi-nation match, it was CWG 2010. The scene right now is altogether completely different in relation to the organisation of the Games, from infrastructure to lodging, journey to volunteers, and so forth.’
‘Yes, India is prepared for 2036 and India is the brand new inclusive Viksit Bharat, the place alternatives are immense for a para athlete to pursue their desires, develop and make their nation proud,’ Deepa mentioned.
Paralympic medallist and coach Amit Saroha, who trains World Championship medallists Ekta Bhyan and Dharambir, mentioned that WPAC is the best-organised worldwide occasion in India thus far and that the hosts are able to staging the Paralympics now.
Amit additionally drew the comparability with the CWG 2010 when para-athletes got here from completely different nations and performed alongside gamers from India. ‘This is the most important para sporting occasion that India has hosted, and having been a part of 4 world championships and a number of Paralympics, I can say with absolute confidence that the standard of infrastructure, keep, meals, and accessible transport amenities which have been given to the athletes is among the many greatest that worldwide athletes would have skilled in different nations as nicely. With the profitable internet hosting of those video games, I really feel that we’re actually ready to host the Paralympics, and the world has seen that now,’ he mentioned.
Sumit Antil, a triple World Champion who created a Championship Record on the way in which to gold within the males’s javelin throw F64 occasion throughout WPAC 2025, mentioned that help via the Target Olympic Podium Scheme (TOPS) made all of the distinction for Indian para athletes. ‘TOPS began in 2014 and from there the wheel began handing over the fitting route for Indian athletes. From getting worldwide publicity to best-in-class coaching amenities at Sports Authority of India’s (SAI) centres in Sonepat and Gandhinagar, para athletes are offered top-notch coaches, nutritionists, weight loss program, and restoration mechanisms, which had been unprecedented earlier than the Commonwealth Games. That has helped our efficiency enhance manifold.’
There was extra reward for India.
World champion in lengthy leap T64 class, Markus Rehm of Germany mentioned: ‘This is my second time right here however I loved each second right here in India. The hospitality was nice; individuals are tremendous pleasant.’
Canada’s Greg Stewart, who grew to become a World Champion within the shot put self-discipline in New Delhi, mentioned that ‘Indian tradition may be very completely different from what we have now again in Canada, however the hospitality has been unimaginable. I felt the heat in every single place I went across the stadium or the town.’
Para lengthy jumper Derek Loccident of USA, who gained silver right here within the T64 occasion, mentioned: I’ve had an excellent expertise right here in New Delhi, India. I’ve been right here for greater than every week. From meals to the general organisation of the occasion has been merely incredible.’ (ANI)