Over 250 athletes to compete as New Delhi gears up for World Para Athletics Grand Prix

New Delhi, Mar 9 (PTI) India will once again take centre stage in global para sport as the second edition of the World Para Athletics Grand Prix begins here from March 11 with athletes from eight nations competing for top honours.

The tournament will conclude on March 13.

The event will feature athletes from India, Russia, Nepal, Bhutan, Hong Kong, Serbia, Bosnia, and Egypt, highlighting the growing international presence of para athletics in the host nation.

Team India will field the largest contingent, with approximately 219 athletes competing across multiple track-and-field events and sport classifications.

Several of India's top para-athletes are expected to compete at the Grand Prix, including Paralympic gold medallist Mariyappan Thangavelu, Paralympic champion and world record holder Sumit Antil, and Paralympic gold medallist Praveen Kumar.

The Indian line-up will also feature prominent athletes such as Ajeet Singh, Devendra Singh Gurjar, multiple Asian Para Games medallist Ankur Dhama, T12 sprinter Simran, who won gold at the 2025 World Championships, and Preeti Pal who won two bronze medals at the 2024 Paris Paralympics in the women's 100m and 200m T35 race events.

Athletes will compete in a wide range of disciplines, including track and field events across different sport classifications.

The competition is expected to serve as an important international platform for both elite and emerging para-athletes, while further strengthening India's role as a host for global para sporting events.

The home edition of the Grand Prix will also be particularly significant for Indian athletes from a classification perspective.

A total of 74 international classification slots will be available during the competition, including 39 for athletes with physical impairments, 29 for athletes with vision impairments, and 6 for athletes with intellectual impairments.

Speaking about the event, Devendra Jhajharia, President of the Paralympic Committee of India, said, "With more than 250 athletes and participation from eight nations, the event highlights the growing global stature of para-athletics in India.

"The strong Indian contingent of 219 athletes will gain valuable international exposure while competing with some of the best para-athletes from across the world." The previous edition of the World Para Athletics Grand Prix New Delhi in 2025 saw India deliver a dominant performance, finishing at the top of the pecking order with a total of 134 medals, including 45 gold, 40 silver and 49 bronze medals. PTI AH AH APS APS