Ravi Rongali finished third in the shot put (F40-41) category.
| Photo Credit: PCI
The lack of sufficient top-level international participation in India’s maiden Para Athletics Grand Prix event was not a concern for the world body with officials confident of things getting better in the coming years.
World Para Athletics (WPA) Competitions Head Martin Chorley, while admitting it was a much smaller event both in scale and participation compared to other WPA competitions, insisted that the timing was as much a reason as uncertainty about the organisation.
“Considering that the contract was signed only last December, it’s fantastic to organise and deliver the event to the levels expected and it gives me confidence moving forward for the World Championships in September,” Chorley said on the sidelines of the final day’s action at the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium here on Thursday.
“More importantly, it is a chance for many of the youngsters, both Indian and from overseas, to experience what international competition is all about, get used to bigger events and get guaranteed classification opportunities. At the same time, this is only the beginning. It’s a multi-year contract for the entire paralympic cycle of four years, a pathway to bigger events, not a one-time thing where India will just host this and the World Championships and be done with major events,” he explained.
Asked about the way forward in terms of improving the organisation, Chorley was optimistic. “The local organising committee has been very willing to make changes and address the issues in the run-up to the Worlds, take suggestions and improve. Already the teams and athletes here this time have been pleasantly surprised with the facilities and many will be coming in September. Once they see what facilities India has, and with the proposed track and the stadium refurbishments, I am sure they will come in much higher numbers in 2026,” he hoped.
Low takes top spot
Meanwhile, Vanessa Low did not disappoint, the Australian taking top spot in the women’s Long Jump (T38, T44, T61) category despite a below par 4.96m jump in the three-competitor event. Vanessa, who set a new world record of 5.45m in her category at the Paris Paralympics, had only three legal jumps but they were enough to beat the other two participants – Zhana Fekolina of Russia, participating here as a neutral para athlete like many others since the suspension of Russia and Belarus from the Olympic programme, and India’s Bhavani Munniyandi.
Among the men, Para Asian Games medallist Ravi Rongali finished third in the shot put (F40-41) category with a best throw of 9.89m, behind Russians Denis Gnezdilov (11.36m) and Aiaal Sivtsev (12.10m). Veteran Ankur Dhama too finished third in an all-Indian race in the men’s 5000m (T11-12) won by Sharath Shankarappa while Saurabh Sharma clinched silver.
Important results (Indians unless stated): Men: 5000m (T11-12): 1. Sharath Shankarappa (16:19.13), 2. Saurabh Sharma (16:58.08), 3. Ankur Dhama (18:58.08); shot put (F35-37): 1. Kudratillokhon Marufkhujaev (Uzb, 14.89m), 2. Alan Kokoity (NPA, 14.68m), 3. Albert Khinchagov (NPA, 12.46m); shot put (F40-41): 1. Denis Gnezdilov (NPA, 11.36m), 2. Aiaal Sivtsev (12.10m), 3. Ravi Rongali (9.89m); Women: 200m (T35-38): 1. Rhiannon Clarke (Aus, 26.76s), 2. Margarita Goncharova (NPA, 27s), 3. Preeti Pal (31.50s); long Jump (T38, T44, T61): 1. Vanessa Low (Aus, 4.96m), 2. Zhana Fekolina (NPA, 4.13m), 3. Bhavani Munniyandi (3.51m).
Published – March 13, 2025 08:27 pm IST
