New Delhi Grand Prix: Home stars dominate show at first-ever GP in India

The curtains came down on India’s first ever Para Athletics Grand Prix in New Delhi with the home nation dominating the three-day action at the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium from 11 to 13 March 2025. 

The Grand Prix was more of a test event ahead of the World Para Athletics Championships which will be staged at the same venue in six months' time. 

Stars shine

Three-time Paralympic champion long jumper Vanessa Low of Australia was among the top names competing at the event. And she lived up to her top billing as she convincingly clinched the gold in women's long jump T61 event.

Her compatriot Rhiannon Clarke, a three-time World Championships medallist, also made a strong start to the season winning the women’s 100m T38.

Brazilian para-athletes including Joeferson Marinho de Oliveira (men’s 100m T12) and Bartolomeu Chaves (men's 400m T37), both Paris 2024 medallists, emerged winners in their respective events. 

🇮🇳 The New Delhi Grand Prix is officially here!🔥

283 athletes from 20 nations are set to compete at Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium, the stage for the World Championships in September!

📲Read more on what’s ahead 🔗https://t.co/PXL4zWKNMr#ParaAthletics @Paralympics @ParalympicIndia pic.twitter.com/HhFWNWTxKo

— Para Athletics (@ParaAthletics) March 11, 2025

On top of medals 

India's star javelin throwers like double Paralympic champion Sumit Antil and new favourite Navdeep Singh, also a Paris 2024 champion, might have given the Grand Prix a miss, but several others including emerging names made sure to keep excitement and medal count surging.

Overall, India finished on top of the medal standings with a total of 134 medals that included 45 gold. Neutral Para Athletes, Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan and Philippines followed with some amazing performances to be in top five of the table.

Paris 2024 two-time bronze medallist Preeti Pal led the show for the hosts with two medals – a silver and a bronze in women’s 100m and 200m T35 event.

Paris 2023 world and Asian Para Games medallist Rinku Hooda claimed the gold in men’s javelin F46 event while there was podium sweep for India in men’s javelin throw F12-F37-F42-F43 combined category led by Hangzhou 2022 Asian Para Games bronze medallist Pushpendra Singh. 

The men’s javelin F40-41 combined category was also dominated by the hosts with little-known Ritender claiming the gold. 

📸Day 1 at New Delhi 2025 Grand Prix ✅

More to come over the next two days. Stay tuned! 🔥

🔴Live Day 2: https://t.co/I9mQaHsR4u#ParaAthletics @Paralympics @ParalympicIndia pic.twitter.com/WYJ28eugI8

— Para Athletics (@ParaAthletics) March 12, 2025

What’s next?

A total of 283 athletes from 20 nations competed at the first ever Grand Prix in India. 

After Dubai and New Delhi, the Grand Prix will next move to Marrakech in Morocco commencing from 24-26 April. 

The Grand Prix will then return to Mexico with the Jalisco Grand Prix scheduled for early May, before travelling to Cali (Colombo), Nottwil (Switzerland), Paris (France) and Tunis (Tunisia).

Olomouc in Czechia will host the first-ever all-women Grand Prix in early July.