A sweet century! India touches historic tally of 100 medals at Asian Para Games 2023

The Asian Para Games 2023 has proven to be an exceptional occasion for Indian sports, where the nation's para-athletes demonstrated their skill and achieved a remarkable collection of medals. In a historic moment, India touched a tally of 100 medals on Saturday, by winning 27 gold, 29 silver and 44 bronze. This milestone was achieved with para-athlete Dilip Mahadu Gavit claiming gold in the Men's 400m T47 event with time of 49.48 secs on Saturday.

On Friday, India inched to the 100 medal haul mark after Suyansh Narayan Jadhav clinched India's first gold in swimming at the sporting spectacle with a performance time of 32.22 secs in the Men's 50m Butterfly-S7 event. Solairaj Dharmaraj secured India's 25th gold medal and 98th overall at the Asian Para Games 2023 by setting a new Asian and Games record with an impressive jump of 6.80m in the Men's Long Jump T64 category.

India's golden streak at the Asian Para Games kicked off on Friday with archer Sheetal Devi claiming her second gold medal at the sporting even with a stellar show in the women's individual compound open event, triumphing over Singapore's Alim Nur Syahidah with a score of 144-142.

In a historic moment, para athlete Raman Sharma set a new Asian and Games record in the men's 1500m T38 event, securing a gold medal with a remarkable time of 4:20.80 minutes.

The golden run continued with para-badminton player Pramod Bhagat, who contributed to India's medal tally by clinching gold in the Men's SL3 category. His closely contested victory over compatriot Nitesh Kumar, with a score of 22-20, 18-21, 21-19, showcased his skill and determination in the sport.

Para-shuttler Thulasimathi Murugesan secured another gold medal, this time in the women's SU5 category, by defeating China's Yang Qiuxia with a scoreline of 21-19, 21-19.

The gold rush continued as Paralympics medalist Suhas Yathiraj secured a remarkable victory in the Men's badminton SL4 category by defeating Malaysia's Amin.

The Indian badminton duo of Tarun Dhillon and Nitesh Kumar added to the gold medals secured by para-shuttlers in Hangzhou. They registered an impressive win in the Men's SL3-SL4 category by defeating defending champions Freddy Setiawan and Dwiyoko from Indonesia with a scoreline of 9-21, 21-19, 22-20.

On Thursday, Indian para-athletes achieved a historic milestone by surpassing their previous record at the Asian Para Games, securing more than 80 medals in the 2023 edition. This remarkable feat exceeded the nation's 2018 medal tally of 72, underscoring India's strong performance in the prestigious event held in Hangzhou, China.

"A monumental achievement at the Asian Para Games, with India bagging an unprecedented 73 medals and still going strong, breaking our previous record of 72 medals from Jakarta 2018 Asian Para Games! This momentous occasion embodies the unyielding determination of our athletes. A roaring ovation for our exceptional para-athletes who have etched their names in history, filling every Indian heart with immense joy. Their commitment, tenacity and unwavering drive to excel are truly inspirational! May this landmark accomplishment serve as a guiding light, inspiring future generations," wrote PM Narendra Modi following this record-breaking feat.