Asian Para Games 2026: Pradeep Kumar Wins Silver, Ayush Verma Takes Bronze In Men’s Javelin F53/54

India sealed a double podium in the men’s javelin throw F53/54 at the Asian Para Games on Tuesday, with Pradeep Kumar taking silver and Ayush Verma winning bronze. Pradeep claimed his second successive silver medal in the event.

The Indian pair finished among the medals in a mixed-class competition that combines F53 and F54 athletes. Pradeep secured second place with a personal best, while Ayush took bronze through the Raza points system despite a shorter throw.

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Pradeep produced a personal best throw of 27.45m. Competing in F54, he finished second in the men’s javelin throw F53/54 event. The mark earned him his second successive silver medal at the Asian Para Games.

Ayush completed India’s strong finish. Competing in F53, the 35-year-old logged 17.88m and still clinched bronze after earning enough Raza points. The system lifted him onto the podium despite a comparatively shorter throw.

Ayush finished ahead of Thailand’s Sahar-dam Yaena of F54, who threw 23.31m. Ayush gained more Raza points because his higher degree of disability carries greater weight in the combined event.

Iran’s Erfan Bandori successfully defended his gold with a Games record throw of 30.24m. His mark put him clear of the field in the mixed-class contest.

Raza points is a method that converts performances into scores when different classifications are clubbed into one event. The scoring takes into account the degree of disability across categories.

F53 athletes typically have full function of their arms and hands but lack abdominal muscles and lower spinal muscle activity, which leaves them with no sitting balance. F54 athletes have full upper muscle power in the arms and partial-to-full trunk muscle power, though movement in the mid-trunk and legs is still affected to a high degree.