Over 100 Paris Paralympics medallists to compete in Delhi World Para Athletics C'ships

New Delhi, Sep 13 (PTI) Over 100 Paris Paralympics medallists will feature in the World Para Athletics Championships to be held here from September 27 to October 5, setting the stage for a high-quality showpiece at the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium.

More than 2,200 para athletes and support staff from 104 countries will compete across 186 medal events, 15 more than the 2024 edition in Kobe.

The championships promise fierce rivalries and top-class performances as over 100 medallists who altogether won 308 medals in 2024 Paris Paralympics, including 112 gold, 96 silver, and 100 bronze, are set to test their mettle on the grandest para athletics stage.

There will be 101 events for men, 84 for women, and one mixed in the championships being hosted by the country for the first time, according to a release.

Leading the charge will be Germany's Markus Rehm, the four-time Paralympic champion and seven-time world champion in the men's long jump T64. Known as the 'Blade Jumper', Rehm holds a world record that surpasses every Olympic gold medal jump this century.

India's pride, Sumit Antil, two-time Paralympic gold medallist and defending champion in men's javelin F64, is set to dazzle the home crowd once again.

Catherine Debrunner of Switzerland, who made headlines with five gold and a silver across six events in the 2024 Paris Paralympics, will compete in five races in New Delhi, aiming to replicate her monumental success in the last edition.

Praveen Kumar, Paris Paralympics champion in men's T64 high jump, is eager to complete his medal collection with a World Para Athletics Championships gold on home soil. PTI PDS AM PDS AM AM