Uzbekistan’s Ruza Kuzieva lifts 152kg for gold, India dominate athletics, and China maintain a commanding advantage in the medals race after the third day of competitions at the 5th Asian Para Games.
Uzbekistan’s Ruza Kuzieva delivered one of the standout performances of the Aichi-Nagoya 2026 Asian Para Games on Wednesday, setting a world record in para powerlifting as records continued to fall across athletics and swimming.
Kuzieva lifted 152kg to claim the women’s up to 73kg title, finishing ahead of China’s silver medallist, who managed 146kg, while compatriot Kudratoy Toshpulatova completed the podium with 130kg.
Her achievement headlined another successful day for Uzbekistan, whose athletes collected medals across powerlifting, athletics, swimming, judo, taekwondo and cycling.
Uzbekistan Celebrate Powerlifting Success
Kuzieva’s record-breaking effort was part of a strong showing by the Uzbek powerlifting contingent. Bekzod Jamilov won the men’s up to 80kg title with a lift of 229kg, ahead of Iraq’s silver medallist (222kg) and China’s bronze medallist (215kg).
Rukhshona Uktamova added another gold in the women’s up to 67kg category, lifting 127kg to beat India’s Kasthuri Rajamani, who took silver with 108kg. South Korea’s Kim Hyeonghui secured bronze with 107kg.
Uzbekistan also enjoyed success in para taekwondo, where Guljanoy Naimova defeated her Chinese opponent 2-0 to claim the women’s over 65kg title.
Records fell in Athletics too
Records continued to fall in athletics at the Mizuho Park Athletic Stadium with China leading the pack.
China’s Hongxia Liang set a new world record en route taking the women’s discus throw F11 gold with a throw of 42.19 metres.
Feifei Zhou later joined the party with an effort of 37.63 metres which was a new world record in the men’s javelin throw F55
Tomoki Sato led Japanese clean sweep in men’s 100m T51/T52 winning the gold with a Games record record of 17.25 seconds, followed by Yuki Oya (17.74) and Tomoya Ito (18.23).
Indian athletes continued their strong campaign, with Sachin Khilari leading a clean sweep of the men’s shot put F46 podium.
Khilari won gold with a Games-record throw of 15.87m, ahead of Mohammed Yasser (15.06m) and Parveen (14.94m). Paralympic champion Praveen Kumar added another gold in the men’s high jump T64, clearing 2.05m to establish a Games record. Compatriot Banti claimed silver with 1.92m.
On the athletics track, Simran clinched her second gold at the Asian Para Games after racing with her guide Shivam in 12.02s in the Women’s 100m T12 final. She also achieved a new Games record in the process.
Among other nations, Uzbekistan’s Yegor Bolotov set an Asian record of 58.43 seconds to win the men’s 100m backstroke, while Muslima Odilova claimed the women’s 100m backstroke S13 title in 1:12.99.
Doston Kakhkhorov clocked a Games-record 54.42 seconds to win the men’s 400m T36. Boburjon Omonov added another record in the men’s shot put F41, throwing 13.07m for gold.
Uzbekistan also enjoyed success in para judo, where Dovurkhon Karomatov won the men’s J2 up to 95kg title. In the medals China continued to dominate the standings, becoming the first country to cross 100 gold medals at the Games. China’s overall tally was at 226 medals with 107 golds, followed by Uzbekistan with 30 gold from their 90 medals, and host nation Japan with 100medals that had 29 gold.
