Nagoya: Indian para-athlete Haney clinched a bronze medal in the men’s discus throw F37 event with a personal best of 57.04 metres at the 2026 Asian Para Games in Aichi-Nagoya in Japan on Wednesday, adding to India’s medal tally in para athletics.
Supported by the Target Olympic Podium Scheme (TOPS), Haney produced his best effort to secure a podium finish on Day 6 of the competition. He is scheduled to compete next in the men’s javelin throw F37/F38 event on Thursday.
In the final, Haney started with a throw of 52.80m on the first attempt. He fouled on the second turn and turned in a below-par 49.57m. On his fourth attempt, Haney reached 52.07m before securing the bronze medal with his personal best throw of 57.04m.
His performance marks a difference of 12.91m compared with the one produced by Rishi Raj in the Hangzhou Para Games in 2022, as he finished 7th with a throw of 44.13m.
Kudratillokhon Marugkhujaev of Uzbekistan won the gold medal with a Games Record throw of 57.39m, with Haidar Ali of Pakistan taking silver with 57.20m, his personal best effort.
Earlier in the day, in the men’s javelin throw F55, Sukhchain won bronze with a personal best of 29.94 metres. China’s Feifei Zhou took gold with a world-record throw of 37.63m, while Iran’s Zafar Zaker claimed silver with a personal best of 36.00m.
Manjeet Vyas added a silver medal in the men’s javelin throw F12/13 with a personal best of 61.03m. India also secured two podium finishes in the men’s javelin throw F53, with Pradeep Kumar winning silver with a personal best of 27.45m and Ayush Verma claiming bronze with a personal best of 17.88m.
The Indian athletics contingent continued its fine performance in the Asian Para Games as Pranav Desai won bronze in the men’s 100m T64 with a time of 11.96 seconds, improving on his fourth-place finish at the 2022 Asian Para Games, where he clocked 11.91 seconds.
(IANS)
