CM Nayab Saini hails Haryana's Rinku, Ajit Singh for Asian Para Games medals
Synopsis
Key Takeaways
Two athletes from Haryana have lit up the javelin throw arena at the Asian Para Games 2026, bringing India a gold-silver double — and Haryana Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini wasted no time marking the moment on Monday, 19 October 2026.
Saini posted on X to congratulate Rinku, who won the gold medal in para javelin throw, and Ajit Singh, who claimed silver in the same event — both sons of Haryana placing India's flag firmly at the top of the podium together. 'भाला फेंक में भारत का स्वर्णिम प्रदर्शन!' ('A golden performance for India in javelin throw!'), Saini wrote, calling both athletes 'Haryana ke laal' — sons of the soil.
A gold-silver sweep in para javelin throw
Rinku's gold and Ajit Singh's silver in the same discipline at a single Games edition is a rare feat — it means India monopolised the top two steps of the podium in that event. Para javelin throw is competed under classified categories, and a 1-2 finish signals both depth of talent and consistency of training at the national level. Saini described their performances as a demonstration of 'the strength of Indian athletics.'
Haryana's track record in para sports
Haryana has long punched above its weight in athletics, sending a steady stream of competitors to both Olympic and Paralympic stages. The state's sports department actively tracks international results of Haryana-based athletes and state leadership — across party lines — routinely amplifies such victories as part of public messaging around sports investment. A podium sweep at the Asian Para Games fits squarely into that pattern, and felicitation announcements from the state government are a likely next step.
The Asian Para Games are held every four years under the Asian Paralympic Committee, offering para athletes across the continent their most prestigious continental stage between Paralympic cycles. India's performance across the remaining events of the 2026 edition will be closely watched as the country builds momentum ahead of future Paralympic cycles.
For now, two athletes from one state have done something remarkable — and the Chief Minister made sure the country noticed.