Deepa Malik claims government must acknowledge achievements of Para-athletes; India finish with a record of 22 medals
Deepa Malik, a winner of multiple international medals at the Paralympic Games, Asian Para Games, and World Championships, and a veteran administrator, said that both citizens and the Government must now acknowledge the achievements of Para athletes. Deepa further added that she had never expected that India would be organizing the World Para Athletics Championships so well. “As an athlete and as an administrator I am absolutely elated to say that how India has successfully hosted 100-plus countries and this has been the biggest-ever celebration of para sport in India. This is going to create so much awareness and love in the hearts of Indians and not just India at the global map. Last time when we had the biggest conglomeration of Para Sports in a multi-nation tournament, it was CWG 2010. The scene today is altogether different when it comes to the organisation of the Games, from infrastructure to accommodation, travel to volunteers, etc.” However, curtains came down on the 2025 World Para Athletics Championships in New Delhi on Sunday, which witnessed more than 2200 participants from 100-plus nations competing for 186 medal events, with India making history, gathering a record 22 medals, including 6 Gold, 9 Silver, and 7 Bronze, their best-ever performance to date. At previous world championships, India had clinched nine medals at the Dubai 2019 edition, 10 medals at Paris 2023, and 17 medals at the 2024 Kobe edition. In the Paralympics too, India’s medal tally witnessed a surge from two medals at 2004 Athens to four medals in 2016 Rio de Janeiro, 19 medals in 2020 Tokyo, and 29 medals, their best performance to date, at 2024 Paris Paralympics. The significant rise in the performance of Indian para-athletes is clearly a reflection of the government’s support for them. In WPAC 2025, 15 athletes under the government’s Target Olympic Podium Scheme and one from the Khelo India programme finished among the medals. 23 TOPS group athletes and 22 Khelo India athletes competed at WPAC 2025. Deepa also feels now India is now ready to host the 2036 Olympics. “Yes, the country is ready for 2036 and India is the new inclusive Viksit Bharat, where opportunities are immense for a Para athlete to pursue their dreams, grow, and make their country proud,” concluded Deepa. Paralympics medalist and coach Amit Saroha, who trains World Championship medallists Ekta Bhyan and Dharambir, said that WPAC is the best-organised international event in India to date and that the hosts are capable of staging the Paralympics now. Sumit Antil, a triple World Champion who created a Championship Record on the way to gold in the men’s javelin throw F64 event during WPAC 2025, said that support through the Target Olympic Podium Scheme (TOPS) made all the difference for Indian Para athletes. According to Antil, “TOPS started in 2014 and from there the wheel started turning in the right direction for Indian athletes. From getting international exposure to best-in-class training facilities at Sports Authority of India’s (SAI) centres in Sonepat and Gandhinagar, para athletes are provided top-notch coaches, nutritionists, diet, and recovery mechanisms, which was unheard of before the Commonwealth Games. That has helped our performance improve manifold.”
Haaland looks rejuvenated; Says becoming a father for the first time has made him so!
Erling Haaland started the season strongly, scoring the only goal in Manchester City’s 1-0 win at Brentford on Sunday, bringing his tally to nine goals in seven Premier League games. For club and country, he has scored 18 in 11 matches, missing the score sheet only once. At 25, he has netted in nine successive matches for the first time in his career. “I have never felt better than I do now,” said Haaland, after showing his pace and power to reach Josko Gvardiol’s pass before scoring past Caoimhin Kelleher. “It is about preparation, getting ready for the games. You can be physically ready, but you need to be mentally ready,” he added. Haaland scored 36 Premier League goals in his first season for City, 27 in the season after that, and 22 last season. Despite the downward trend, Haaland looks rejuvenated, and he said much of it was to do with becoming a father for the first time a year ago. “With a kid, it makes me even better because I disconnect more than ever — I don’t think about football at all,” he said. He added, “When you are young, you think of this and that and maybe worry about things, but when I get home, I relax even more. I think I need to give a shout-out to my son.” While Haaland is looking razor sharp, manager Pep Guardiola will want goals from other sources. Against Brentford, City dominated the first half but was unable to add to Haaland’s ninth-minute opener and almost paid the price as the host bombarded it towards the end with high balls and long throws. “He has been so important this season for us, I would say. We need more goals from the other ones, but the chances were there,” Guardiola said. “The wingers have to score more goals and have to score in those situations, one against one, one against two. But step by step, we will do it. It was much more solid with the team in the game; we will be fine,” he added. Guardiola’s only worry heading into the international break was an injury to Spanish midfielder Rodri, who hobbled off with a hamstring injury midway through the first half.
