Indian para-athlete Deepthi Jeevanji delivered a commanding performance on Tuesday to clinch gold in the women’s 400m T20 final at the 2026 Asian Para Games in Aichi-Nagoya, clocking a new Games record of 56.36 seconds.
Deepthi, the 23-year-old from Kalleda village in Warangal, Telangana, dominated the race and finished more than two seconds clear of silver medallist Niina Kanno of Japan (58.92 seconds). Japan’s Akane Kato took bronze in 1:00.26.
Total Track Dominance
Lining up as the outright favorite, Deepthi surged into the lead off the final bend, pulling comfortably clear of the field down the home stretch. Her mark of 56.36 seconds eclipsed the previous Asian Para Games record and left her rivals battling for minor podium spots.
Jeevanji’s victory marked India’s fifth gold of the Games and the first of Day 2. It also represented a successful defence of the title she won at the previous Asian Para Games (Hangzhou), where she had set the then-record of 56.69 seconds.
In the heats the previous day, she had already broken the Games record with a 57.57-second run, improving on the previous mark of 58.69 seconds and topping the qualifying round.
APG 2026 | Result | Para Athletics Women’s 400m T20 – Heats GAMES RECORD SMASHED! Deepthi Jeevanji (TOPS) topped the heats with a stunning 57.57s! She shattered the previous Games Record of 58.69s to secure her place in the final. Another proud moment for India as Deepthi continues to shine on the global stage! The final is scheduled for 20 October 2026 at 6:53 AM IST. #TeamIndia #TOPSAthlete #ParaAthletics #Cheer4Bharat #praise4para
Solidifying Her Legacy
The T20 classification caters to athletes with intellectual impairments, a category where Jeevanji has emerged as a global force. Her victory in Nagoya adds another major accolade to an already distinguished international career:
World Champion: Gold medalist at the 2024 World Para Athletics Championships.
Paralympic Medalist: Bronze medalist in the 400m T20 event at the Paris 2024 Paralympic Games.
Asian Para Games Record Holder: Gold medal and Games record holder at both Hangzhou and Nagoya.
Her emphatic win opened India’s track campaign in style at 2026 Asian Para Games in Nagoya, reaffirming her standing as one of the most dominant 400m runners on the global para-athletics circuit.
