New Delhi, Oct 24 — Indian para-athlete Navdeep Singh has credited the training environment and support at the Sports Authority of India’s Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium in New Delhi for helping him prepare for the Asian Para Games 2026, where he won bronze in the men’s javelin throw F40/F41 event.
Navdeep, who finished fourth at the previous edition in 2022, said training alongside fellow Indian athletes at the stadium’s main track helped him acclimatise to the competitive environment ahead of the Games in Aichi-Nagoya.
India finished fourth in the overall standings with 114 medals, including 30 gold, 35 silver and 49 bronze, marking its best-ever performance at the continental para-sport event. Para-athletics accounted for 65 of the country’s medals, with 22 gold, 19 silver and 24 bronze.
“Most of us Asian Games-bound athletes, including me, did our preparations at the JLN Stadium for the Asian Games 2026,” Navdeep said after his medal-winning performance. “This allowed us to acclimatise and get the feel. Despite the ongoing (Indian Super League) football matches, they kept the Asian Games a priority, which I felt was quite impressive, and that supported me,” he added.
The Paris Paralympics gold medallist also highlighted the benefits of having access to the main track and dedicated training space, saying it allowed athletes to prepare without unnecessary interruptions or delays.
“Sprinters need an empty track, so they got a good chance to train inside it. I majorly train at the SAI Regional Centres (Bengaluru, Sonipat and Gandhinagar), where there is not much crowd and I don’t have to wait for other athletes to finish their throws. This all happened here at the JLN Stadium too. I could focus on my preparations rather than focusing on rotations and waiting for my turn,” Navdeep said, adding that he hoped to return to the facility next season.
Navdeep was among 14 medallists at the Asian Para Games who trained at the JLN Stadium ahead of the competition. The group delivered a strong showing across track and field events, winning medals in multiple disciplines.
Praveen Kumar won gold in the men’s high jump T64, while Sandeep Kumar claimed the men’s 400m T64 title with a world-record performance. Pranav Soorma triumphed in the men’s club throw F51, and Rinku Hooda topped the men’s javelin throw F46 event. Simran Sharma won gold in both the women’s 100m and 200m T12, setting Games records in each race.
The silver medallists from the training group included Manjeet in the men’s javelin F12/F13, Nimisha Chakkungalparambil in the women’s long jump T47, Varun Singh Bhati in the men’s high jump T63, Preeti Pal in the women’s 100m and 200m T35, and Ajeet Singh Yadav in the men’s javelin F46.
Sandeep Kumar also won bronze in the men’s 100m T44, while Sandip Sanjay Sargar secured a bronze in the men’s javelin combined-classification event. Anubhav Choudhary finished third in the men’s 100m T35, alongside Navdeep’s bronze in the javelin.
More than 50 other para-athletes also train at the SAI JLN Stadium, which continues to serve as a training base for athletes across disciplines.