CM Fadnavis Hails Simran Sharma's Record Gold at Asian Para Games
Synopsis
Simran Sharma won Gold in the Women's 200m T12 Final at the 2026 Asian Para Games with a new record of 24.80 seconds, while debutant Tejalben Damor of NCoE claimed Bronze in 25.23 seconds. Maharashtra CM Devendra Fadnavis hailed the performance as a display of speed, determination, and sporting excellence.
Key Takeaways
Simran Sharma won Gold in the Women's 200m T12 Final at the 2026 Asian Para Games with a new record time of 24.80 seconds .
Debutant Tejalben Damor , affiliated with the National Centre of Excellence (NCoE) , clinched Bronze in 25.23 seconds on her first Asian Para Games appearance.
Maharashtra CM Devendra Fadnavis publicly congratulated both athletes on X, calling it 'a remarkable display of speed, determination and sporting excellence.' India's para-athletics programme has been supported since 2014 through the Target Olympic Podium Scheme (TOPS) under the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports.
The NCoE, operated by the Sports Authority of India, was instrumental in Damor's development as an elite para-athlete.
A new record on the track, a debut on the podium, and India's flag flying at the 2026 Asian Para Games. Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis took to X on Tuesday, October 20 to celebrate a golden double from the Women's 200m T12 Final — a moment that signals just how far Indian para-athletics has come.
Simran Sharma rewrites the record books
Simran Sharma crossed the finish line in a record-breaking 24.80 seconds, claiming Gold in the Women's 200m T12 Final and setting a new championship mark in the process. The T12 category is contested by athletes with significant visual impairment, making Sharma's explosive sprint all the more remarkable — a performance, as Fadnavis put it, of 'speed, determination and sporting excellence.'
The time doesn't just represent a personal best. It stakes a claim as the new benchmark for the event at the Asian Para Games level — exactly the kind of result Indian sports administrators have been building toward for over a decade.
Tejalben Damor's debut bronze at NCoE
Sharing the podium was Tejalben Damor, a product of the National Centre of Excellence (NCoE) — the Sports Authority of India's flagship training programme for elite and para-athletes. Damor clocked 25.23 seconds to clinch Bronze on her competitive debut, an extraordinary result for a first-time Asian Para Games participant.
The NCoE pipeline producing a podium finisher is precisely the validation the Sports Authority of India has sought: structured, scientific support translating directly into international medals.
A decade of investment, landing on the podium
India's para-athletics programme has been bolstered since 2014 by the Target Olympic Podium Scheme (TOPS), under the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports, which extended structured financial and logistical support to para-athletes. The steady gains at regional multi-sport events over the past several years have been no accident — they reflect a long institutional bet on talent identification and elite training infrastructure.
A Gold and a Bronze from a single final, one a record-setter and the other a debutant, is the kind of result that makes that bet look prescient.
Two athletes, one track, one extraordinary afternoon — and the scoreboard confirms that Indian para-athletics is not merely participating on the Asian stage, it is defining it.
Point of View
Built through TOPS and NCoE infrastructure since 2014, is producing world-competitive results rather than token participation. The political optics are incidental; the institutional story is the real headline. If this momentum carries through the remainder of the 2026 Asian Para Games, it will strengthen the case for sustained, expanded investment in para-sports ahead of future Paralympic cycles.
NationPress
20 Oct 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
What record did Simran Sharma set at the 2026 Asian Para Games?
Simran Sharma set a new record in the Women's 200m T12 Final with a time of 24.80 seconds, winning the Gold medal at the 2026 Asian Para Games.
Who is Tejalben Damor and what did she win?
Tejalben Damor is a debutant para-athlete affiliated with the National Centre of Excellence (NCoE) who won the Bronze medal in the Women's 200m T12 Final with a time of 25.23 seconds.
What is the T12 category in para-athletics?
The T12 category in para-athletics is for athletes with significant visual impairment who compete with the assistance of a guide runner on the track.
What is the National Centre of Excellence (NCoE) in Indian sports?
The NCoE is a network of training facilities operated by the Sports Authority of India, designed to provide elite and para-athletes with high-performance coaching, scientific support, and infrastructure.
How has India supported para-athletes ahead of major competitions?
India has supported para-athletes through the Target Olympic Podium Scheme (TOPS), launched in 2014 under the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports, which provides financial and logistical assistance to elite and para-athletes.
