World Para Athletics opens in New Delhi with record Indian squad

The World Para Athletics Championships opened at New Delhi's Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium this week, launching nine days of competition that organisers say will run from September 27 to October 5 and feature 186 medal events. The 12th edition of the championships is being held in India for the first time and will be staged on newly installed Mondo tracks at both the competition and warmup arenas.

Organisers described the New Delhi edition as the largest in history, with around 2,200 participants from about 100 nations expected to take part. Some reports differentiated that figure, noting more than 1,100 competing athletes among officials and support staff. The programme includes 101 men's events, 84 women's events and one mixed event, 15 more medal events than the previous championships in Kobe, Japan.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi delivered a video message welcoming competitors and praising para athletes for breaking barriers and reshaping India's sporting identity, saying their achievements have inspired millions to embrace sport. The opening ceremony was attended by the Union Minister for Youth Affairs and Sports, Mansukh Mandaviya, other senior officials and World Para Athletics...