Mandaviya Hails Double Podium in Women's 200m T12 at Asian Para Games 2026
Synopsis
Sprinter Simran set a new Games record of 24.80s to win gold, while debutant Tejalben Damor claimed bronze in 25.23s, giving India a double podium in the Women's 200m T12 at the Asian Para Games 2026. Sports Minister Mansukh Mandaviya hailed both athletes.
Key Takeaways
Simran won gold in the Women's 200m T12 at the Asian Para Games 2026 with a new Games record time of 24.80 seconds .
Debutant Tejalben Damor clinched bronze in the same event, clocking 25.23 seconds on her international debut.
India secured a double podium — gold and bronze — in a single para-athletics event, a significant continental result.
Union Sports Minister Mansukh Mandaviya publicly congratulated both athletes on October 20, 2026 .
The result builds on India's expanded para-sports investment through extensions of the Target Olympic Podium Scheme after the 2016 Rio Paralympics.
Both athletes compete in the T12 visually impaired classification , a category that has received dedicated classification-specific coaching support from the Sports Ministry.
A double podium in the women's 200m T12 event — and one of them a new Games record. Union Labour and Sports Minister Mansukh Mandaviya celebrated India's standout moment at the Asian Para Games 2026 on Tuesday, October 20, as sprinter Simran stormed to gold in a blistering 24.80 seconds, setting a new Games record, while debutant Tejalben Damor added bronze in 25.23 seconds.
Simran's record-breaking gold run
Simran competed in the visually impaired T12 classification — a category where athletes have very limited light perception and race with the aid of a guide. Her time of 24.80 seconds didn't just win the race; it rewrote the Games record, announcing India's arrival with authority on the continental para-athletics stage. For a visually impaired sprinter to post a new benchmark on the big stage is the kind of performance that echoes well beyond a single medal table.
Tejalben Damor's debut bronze
If Simran's gold was the headline, Tejalben Damor wrote a compelling opening chapter to her international career in the same race. Competing at the Asian Para Games for the first time, the debutant clocked 25.23 seconds to secure bronze — a result that signals a deep bench forming behind India's established names in para-athletics. A podium finish on debut at a continental Games is rare in any sport, rarer still in para-athletics.
India's para-sports build-up since Rio
The double podium reflects years of structural investment. Following the 2016 Rio Paralympics, India extended the Target Olympic Podium Scheme to para-athletes, channelling dedicated funding, classification-specific coaching, and international exposure into categories like T12. The Sports Ministry has since prioritised building depth — not just headline names — across impairment groups, with an eye firmly on the 2028 Los Angeles Paralympics. Today's result in the 200m is exactly the kind of competition-grade performance data that scouts and selectors track as the Paris-to-LA cycle builds.
Minister Mandaviya's post carried the hashtags #Cheer4Bharat and #AsianParaGames2026, adding institutional weight to what was already a charged moment for Indian para-sport. India's final medal tally at the Games and any policy announcements around enhanced support ahead of 2028 will be closely watched in the weeks ahead.
Two athletes, one track, one unforgettable evening — and a Games record that now belongs to India.
Point of View
Not just individual stars, in para-sport. The extension of the Target Olympic Podium Scheme to para-athletes after 2016 was a policy bet on systemic investment over one-off heroics, and results like today's validate that wager. Minister Mandaviya's swift public acknowledgement also signals that para-sports visibility is now a deliberate communications priority for the government, helping normalise para-athletics in mainstream sports discourse. With the 2028 Los Angeles Paralympics on the horizon, every Games record set at the continental level raises the baseline India will carry into qualification cycles.
NationPress
20 Oct 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
Who is Simran, the Indian para-athlete who won gold at the Asian Para Games 2026?
Simran is an Indian para-sprinter competing in the T12 visually impaired classification. She won gold in the Women's 200m T12 at the Asian Para Games 2026 with a new Games record time of 24.80 seconds.
What is the T12 classification in para-athletics?
T12 is a para-athletics classification for visually impaired athletes who have minimal light perception. Athletes in this class typically race with a sighted guide and compete in track events.
Who is Tejalben Damor?
Tejalben Damor is a debutant Indian para-athlete in the T12 category who won bronze in the Women's 200m T12 at the Asian Para Games 2026, clocking 25.23 seconds on her first appearance at a continental Games.
What is the Asian Para Games 2026?
The Asian Para Games is a continental multi-sport event for athletes with disabilities, organised by the Asian Paralympic Committee. The 2026 edition saw India record a double podium in the Women's 200m T12.
How has India supported para-athletes ahead of the 2028 Paralympics?
Following the 2016 Rio Paralympics, India extended the Target Olympic Podium Scheme to para-athletes, providing dedicated funding, classification-specific coaching, and international competitive exposure to improve medal prospects at future Paralympic Games.
