Nagoya, Oct 2026 : India’s Deepthi Jeevanji delivered a commanding performance to win gold in the women’s 400m T20 category at the 2026 Asian Para Games, clocking 56.36 seconds and setting a new Games record on Tuesday.
The 23-year-old athlete from Telangana successfully defended the gold medal she won in 2022, improving her previous timing of 56.59 seconds by 0.23 seconds. Her latest achievement further strengthens her position among the leading athletes in international para athletics.
Deepthi, a two-time Para World Championships medallist and a Paralympic bronze medallist, has built an impressive career through determination, consistent training and a series of landmark performances on the international stage.
Her journey began when she was just 15. N. Ramesh, a coach associated with the Sports Authority of India (SAI), spotted her potential during a state-level athletics meet. Recognising her ability, he took her under his guidance and began training her to compete at higher levels.
Deepthi made her international debut at the Asian Youth Championships in Hong Kong in 2019, where she secured a bronze medal. The achievement marked an important milestone in her early career and provided the foundation for her subsequent progress in competitive athletics.
Despite the challenges associated with her intellectual impairment, Deepthi remained focused on developing her sporting abilities. She continued training and competed in several events organised by the Athletics Federation of India between 2019 and 2022.
Her progress became evident at the Khelo India Youth Games 2020 in Guwahati, where she won gold medals in both the 100m and 200m events. She subsequently collected multiple medals at the National Junior and Youth Championships, earning recognition as a Khelo India athlete.
A major breakthrough came at the 2023 Asian Para Games, where Deepthi established herself as a formidable competitor in the women’s 400m T20 event. Her performances demonstrated her growing ability to compete against leading international athletes.
She reached another milestone at the 2024 World Para Athletics Championships, winning gold and recording 55.07 seconds in the 400m T20 event. The performance set a world record and highlighted her rapid development on the global stage.
Deepthi also secured a bronze medal in the women’s 400m T20 event at the Paris 2024 Paralympic Games, adding a Paralympic podium finish to her growing list of achievements.
Her gold medal in Nagoya represents another significant chapter in her career. By defending her Asian Para Games title and establishing a new Games record, she has demonstrated the consistency required to sustain success at the highest level.
Deepthi’s journey from a young athlete discovered at a state-level competition to an Asian Para Games champion reflects the importance of coaching, structured training and perseverance. Her latest performance provides another proud moment for Indian para athletics and Telangana’s sporting community.
