Indian para-athletes began their 2026 campaign in emphatic fashion, topping the medals table at the opening leg of the Dubai 2026 Grand Prix – 17th Fazza International Athletics Championships with a haul of 43 medals, including 16 gold, 13 silver and 14 bronze.
Colombia and Kenya finished second and third with 11 and six gold medals respectively from 20 medals each, while hosts UAE placed fourth with six gold in a total of 31 medals at the season’s first World Para Athletics Grand Prix meet.
With India set to host the next WPA Grand Prix at the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium next month, a strong start to the season was crucial and the athletes delivered at the Dubai Club.
Two-time Paralympic champion Sumit Antil struck gold in the men’s javelin F64, continuing his dominance at a venue that has often brought him success. Fellow Paris 2024 gold medallists Navdeep (men’s javelin F41) and Dharambir Nain (men’s club throw F51) also opened their seasons with top podium finishes.
Paris 2024 double bronze medallist Preeti Pal added to the gold rush, clinching gold in the women’s 100m T35 and bronze in the 200m T35. Her performance reaffirmed the consistency she displayed at the Paris Paralympics, where she secured two historic bronze medals.
Bhagyashri M. Jadhav marked an emotional return with gold medals in the women’s shot put and javelin F34 events, underlining a strong comeback after previous Paralympic appearances.
“I have been playing for the last 8 to 10 years. I participated in Paris 2024 Paralympics and was also part of the Tokyo 2020, but Dubai felt different. My performance here was the best so far. Winning two golds was a huge motivation. I will carry this confidence forward and aim to win gold at the World Championship next year,” said Jadhav.
Other Indian gold medallists included New Delhi 2025 world champion Rinku Hooda (men’s javelin F46), Rio 2016 bronze medallist Varun Singh Bhati (men’s high jump T42), Hangzhou 2022 Asian Para Games gold medallist Dilip Mahadu Gavit (men’s 400m T46) and Sahil Salim Sayyad (men’s discus F54/55).
Silver medals were secured by Sunil Kumar, Pranav Soorma and Gurubaskarase Sakkappan, while bronze medallists included Ranjit Chanda, Poonma Ram, Fatima Khatoon and Dipesh Kumar among others.
The Fazza Championships have long served as a key fixture on the World Para Athletics circuit, and finishing atop the standings in Dubai sends a strong signal ahead of the season’s major global competitions.