Some of the top para athletes from India and around the world will be in action at the three-day World Para Athletics Grand Prix starting Tuesday at the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium.
The first-ever major international para athletics event in the country will be a test for not just the athletes but also the organisers as they prepare to host the prestigious Para Athletics World Championships here later this year.
On Monday, the venue was abuzz with athletes training and last-minute preparations to make the competition arena and the surroundings accessible.
More than 250 athletes from 20 countries will be in action with 145 Indian and 105 international competitors, including the likes of Paris Paralympics gold medallists Praveen Kumar (High Jump T64), Navdeep Singh (Javelin F41), Dharambir (Club Throw F51) and Hangzhou Asian Games silver medalist Ravi Rongali (Shot Put F40). However, some of the biggest Indian names, including Sumit Antil and Yogesh Kathuniya will not be participating.
Teams from Saudi Arabia, Germany, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Philippines, Japan, Australia, Brazil, Nepal, Bhutan, UAE and Sri Lanka will be competing. While the host will be the favourite to top the medal table, there is expected to be a stiff challenge from Kazakhstan, which won 41 medals at the Asian Para Games, and UAE, which impressed at the recent Dubai Grand Prix (21 medals). This is also a qualifying event for the World Championships, to be held from September 26 to October 5.
Three-time Paralympic champion long-jumper (T63) Vanessa Low of Australia will headline the list of international stars in action. The 34-year-old is also the current world record-holder in the T61 category.
Published - March 10, 2025 07:02 pm IST
