Asian Para Games 2026: Soumya Kumar Wins Gold, Radha Venkatesh Bags Silver In 1500m

India continued its impressive start at the Asian Para Games 2026 with another memorable one-two finish in para athletics. Soumya Kumar clinched the gold medal in the women's 1500m T12/T13 event, while compatriot Radha Venkatesh secured silver on Monday, October 19.

Competing in a combined classification event, both Indian athletes delivered strong performances to finish ahead of their international rivals. Soumya clocked a personal best of 5:12.39, while Radha crossed the finish line in 5:30.90. Japan's Mana Sasaki completed the podium with bronze, as India added two more medals to its growing tally.

Also Check: Asian Para Games Live Updates October 19 Day 4

Soumya Kumar Claims Gold With Personal Best

Soumya produced a standout performance to win the gold medal, recording a personal best of 5:12.39. Running alongside her guide, Bharath Kumar, she maintained her pace through the race to finish on top of the standings with 621 points.

The victory underlined Soumya's ability to perform on the continental stage and added another gold medal to India's campaign in Nagoya, Japan. Her performance also highlighted the importance of coordination between visually impaired athletes and their guides in competitive para athletics.

Radha Venkatesh Secures Silver for India

Radha Venkatesh ensured a double podium finish for India by claiming silver in the same event. Running with guide Govind Solanki, Radha clocked 5:30.90 to finish with 421 points.

Japan's Mana Sasaki took bronze with 336 points. Since the T12 and T13 classifications were combined for the event, the final medal positions were determined using a points-based system that accounts for classification and performance rather than finishing time alone. This allowed athletes from different eligible classifications to compete together under a common scoring framework