New Delhi | October 24
Indian para-javelin thrower Navdeep Singh has credited the support and training facilities at the Sports Authority of India’s (SAI) Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium in New Delhi for helping athletes prepare for the Asian Para Games 2026 in Aichi-Nagoya.
Navdeep won bronze in the men’s javelin throw F40/F41 event on Friday, improving on his fourth-place finish at the 2022 edition.
India finished fourth at the Asian Para Games 2026 with a record 114 medals — 30 gold, 35 silver and 49 bronze. Para-athletics contributed 65 medals, including 22 gold, 19 silver and 24 bronze.
Fourteen medallists from the continental competition had trained at the SAI JLN Stadium ahead of the Games, including Paris Paralympics gold medallist Navdeep, Simran Sharma, Praveen Kumar, Sandeep Kumar, Pranav Soorma, Rinku Hooda, Manjeet, Nimisha Chakkungalparambil, Varun Singh Bhati, Preeti Pal, Ajeet Singh Yadav, Sandip Sanjay Sargar and Anubhav Choudhary.
“Most of us Asian Games-bound athletes, including me, did our preparations at the JLN Stadium for the Asian Games 2026. This allowed us to acclimatise and get the feel,” Navdeep said after winning his medal.
“Despite the ongoing Indian Super League football matches, they kept the Asian Games a priority, which I felt was quite impressive, and that supported me,” he added.
Navdeep also highlighted the advantage of having dedicated access to the stadium’s main track, allowing athletes to train without unnecessary interruptions.
“Sprinters need an empty track, so they got a good chance to train inside it. I majorly train at the SAI Regional Centres in Bengaluru, Sonipat and Gandhinagar, where there is not much crowd and I don’t have to wait for other athletes to finish their throws.
“This all happened here at the JLN Stadium too. I could focus on my preparations rather than focusing on rotations and waiting for my turn,” he said, expressing hope of returning to the facility next season.
The JLN Stadium-trained athletes made a significant contribution to India’s medal haul across track and field events.
Praveen Kumar won gold in the men’s high jump T64, while Sandeep Kumar claimed gold in the men’s 400m T64, setting a world record. Pranav Soorma triumphed in the men’s club throw F51, Rinku Hooda won the men’s javelin F46 gold, and Simran Sharma secured gold in both the women’s 100m and 200m T12, setting Games records in both events.
The silver medallists included Manjeet in the men’s javelin F12/F13, Nimisha Chakkungalparambil in the women’s long jump T47, Varun Singh Bhati in the men’s high jump T63, Preeti Pal in the women’s 100m and 200m T35, and Ajeet Singh Yadav in the men’s javelin F46.
Sandeep Kumar also won bronze in the men’s 100m T44. Sandip Sanjay Sargar claimed bronze in the men’s javelin combined-classification event, while Navdeep finished third in the men’s javelin F40/F41. Anubhav Choudhary added another bronze in the men’s 100m T35.
Beyond the medallists, more than 50 para-athletes train at the SAI JLN Stadium, underlining the facility’s role in supporting India’s para-sports programme.
