Indonesia’s teenage discus sensation I Kadek Dwi Purwana Yasa led a remarkable world-record rush at the Aichi-Nagoya 2026 Asian Para Games on Tuesday, with China’s Deng Peicheng, Thailand’s Paeng-Nuea Athiwat and Iran’s Vajiheh Houshmand also featuring among the record breakers.
South Korea’s Jang Min-ho rewrote the Asian 100m T13 record twice, while India’s Deepthi Jeevanji and Nishad Kumar struck record-breaking gold as athletics delivered another memorable day at Mizuho Park Athletic Stadium.
The performances reflected the growing strength of para athletics across Asia, with established champions and emerging talents making their mark.
Teenager Yasa Throws His Way Into History
Yasa, just 18, produced one of the day’s standout performances in the men’s discus F57, launching the implement 49.75 metres to improve his own world record of 48.68m, set in Mexico in July.
The Indonesian opened with 46.79m, improved to 47.17m and then unleashed his record-breaking effort in the third round. He followed it with another impressive throw of 49.71m.
Uzbekistan’s Yorkinbek Odilov took silver with 45.10m, while Iraq’s Hussein Khazaee claimed bronze with 45.06m.
For Yasa, making his Asian Para Games debut, the achievement was particularly significant. It also gave Indonesia its first athletics gold of the Games. Yet the teenager is already thinking about a change of discipline as he looks towards the Los Angeles 2028 Paralympics.
“After the Asian Para Games, I will switch to the javelin throw because the Paralympics will not stage the discus event in my classification,” he said.
Deng, Paeng-Nuea and Houshmand Join Record Rush
China’s Deng Peicheng and Thailand’s Paeng-Nuea Athiwat added their names to the day’s record-breaking headlines in the T36 and T54 classifications respectively.
Deng’s performance in the T36 category added to China’s strong showing, while Paeng-Nuea continued Thailand’s impressive tradition in wheelchair racing.
Iran’s Vajiheh Houshmand also entered the record books in the F43 classification, adding another field-event achievement to a day already marked by Yasa’s extraordinary discus performance.
The three athletes ensured that the day’s record-breaking feats extended across several classifications and nations.
Jang Breaks Asian Record Twice
South Korea’s Jang Min-ho produced an equally memorable performance in the men’s 100m T13, winning gold in an Asian-record 10.48 seconds.
Jang had already lowered the continental mark to 10.61 seconds in the morning heats, despite running into a headwind, before returning to improve it by another 0.13 seconds in the final.
His victory carried special significance. Having competed at the Asian Games in Nagoya last month, Jang became the first South Korean to participate in both the Asian Games and Asian Para Games in succession.
The sprinter, who has experienced progressive vision loss, was delighted to hear his national anthem played at the stadium.
“I really wanted to have the South Korean national anthem played in this stadium, and it is such an absolute honor to make that happen,” he said.
“I hope people do not hide away because of their disabilities, but instead achieve the dreams they desire.”
Jeevanji Delivers Double Record
India’s Deepthi Jeevanji also enjoyed a memorable outing, claiming the women’s 400m T20 gold in a Games-record 56.36 seconds.
The 23-year-old Paralympic bronze medallist had earlier clocked 57.57 seconds in the heats before producing a much quicker run when it mattered most.
Jeevanji, the reigning Asian Para Games champion and a former world champion, once again demonstrated her ability to deliver on the big stage.
Nishad Completes Golden Double
Nishad Kumar continued his remarkable campaign by adding the men’s high jump T47 title to the long jump gold he won on Monday.
The two-time Paralympic silver medallist cleared 2.04m to establish a new Asian Para Games record, surpassing the previous mark of 2.01m set by Thailand’s Angkarn Chanaboon at Jakarta 2018.
Uzbekistan’s Muhammadabdulloh Tursunjonov took silver with 1.94m, while Chanaboon settled for bronze with 1.75m.
Nishad had opened his campaign by winning the long jump T47 with 7.11m, despite making his international debut in the discipline.
India’s Field Athletes Add to Medal Haul
India also collected two medals in the men’s javelin F53/F54 competition. Pradeep Kumar won silver in the F54 classification with a personal-best 27.45m, while Ayush Verma took bronze in F53 with 17.88m.
Praveen Kumar added bronze in the men’s shot put F11, maintaining India’s strong presence in the throwing events.
Simran also won gold in the women’s 200m T12, while Devender Kumar and Pranav Soorma added titles in the discus events, extending India’s successful run on Tuesday.
Akhtamova Sets Games Record as Gustin Retains Powerlifting Crown
Uzbekistan’s Akidakhon Akhtamova produced one of Tuesday’s standout performances in para powerlifting, setting a new Asian Para Games record of 128kg to win the women’s up to 55kg title at the Aichi-Nagoya 2026 Asian Para Games.
The Uzbek lifter finished ahead of a Chinese competitor, who took silver with 117kg, while Thailand claimed bronze with 112kg. Her compatriot Nasiba Toshpulatova added silver in the women’s up to 50kg category with a lift of 123kg. Malaysia’s two-time Paralympic champion Bonnie Bunyau Gustin successfully defended his men’s up to 72kg title with a best lift of 225kg. Gustin opened with 216kg, improved to 225kg and then missed 231kg on his final attempt. China’s Zhang Pingkang took silver with 212kg, while Iran’s Mohsen Bakhtiar claimed bronze with 208kg. Although Gustin retained his title, his winning lift fell short of his own Games record of 230kg.
