Deepthi Jeevanji burst to gold, smashing the Asian Para Games record with 56.36 seconds in the women's 400m T20 final.
She had already put a 56.48‑second mark on the timetable during the heats, but the final was a clean‑cut 0.12‑second improvement that left the field behind.
The 22‑year‑old’s stride was hypnotic—each stride a fraction of a second faster, a rhythm she said she’d rehearsed “every morning, in the gym, on the track.”
Coach Arun Kumar, who has guided her since 2019, praised her composure. “She stayed calm, let the race run its way, and finished on time.”
Winning in such a fashion not only secures India a top spot in the medal tally but also sets a new benchmark for athletes in the T20 classification.
With the Games winding down, Jeevanji’s next target is the 400m T20 at the 2027 World Para Athletics Championships, where she aims to turn record‑breaking into world‑class glory.