Dubai, February 17 – India delivered a dominant performance at the opening Dubai 2026 Grand Prix – Fazza International Athletics Championships, finishing at the top of the medal table with a total of 43 medals, including 16 gold, 13 silver, and 14 bronze.
Colombia and Kenya followed with 11 and 6 gold medals each from their 20 medals, while the host, the UAE, finished fourth with 6 gold medals out of 31 at the first World Para Athletics Grand Prix of the season.
For India, who will host the next WPA Grand Prix at the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium in New Delhi, it was important for their athletes to start the season with confidence, and they did so at the Dubai Club for People of Determination grounds.
Two-time Paralympic champion Sumit Antil returned to one of his favourite grounds, winning gold in the men’s javelin F64, while his fellow throwers and Paris 2024 gold medallists Navdeep (men’s javelin F41) and Dharambir Nain (men’s club throw F51) also began the season on a winning note in Dubai.
They were joined by Paris 2024 double bronze medallist Preeti Pal, who won gold and bronze in the women’s 100m and 200m T35 events, respectively. Her medals in Dubai reaffirmed her consistency after the Paris 2024 Paralympics, where she won two historic bronze medals.
“My goal is to improve my personal best and win as many gold medals as possible for India. This is just the beginning. I want to achieve more for India,” she said.
Among others, Bhagyashri M. Jadhav achieved an emotional victory in the women’s shot put and javelin F34 category, marking a powerful comeback.
“I have been competing for the last 8 to 10 years. I participated in the Paris 2024 Paralympics and was also part of the Tokyo 2020, but Dubai felt different. My performance here was the best so far. Winning two golds was a huge motivation. I will carry this confidence forward and aim to win gold at the World Championship next year,” said Jadhav.
Other gold medallists included: New Delhi 2025 world champion Rinku Hooda (men’s javelin F46), Rio 2016 bronze medallist Varun Singh Bhati (high jump men T42), Hangzhou 2022 gold Asian Para Games medallist Dilip Mahadu Gavit (men’s 400m T46), and Sahil Salim Sayyad (men’s discus wheelchair men F54/55).
Silver medals were won by Sunil Kumar, Pranav Soorma, and Gurubaskarase Sakkappan, while bronze medals were won by Ranjit Chanda, Poonma Ram, Fatima Khatoon, and Dipesh Kumar, among others.
The Fazza Championships have long been a key stop on the World Para Athletics circuit, and topping the table in Dubai sends a powerful message ahead of upcoming global competitions.
Dubai was not just about standing on the podium. It was about proving that Indian Para athletics now carries depth – not just a few stars, but an entire squad capable of delivering under pressure.