Pranav Soorma, who survived a severe spinal injury, won gold in the men’s discus throw

India’s Pranav Soorma claimed gold in the men’s F51/52/53 discus throw at the 2026 Asian Para Games in Nagoya on Tuesday, October 20. The 31-year-old, who survived a severe spinal cord injury that left him a quadriplegic, produced a dominant performance to secure India’s sixth gold medal of the Games.

Racing penultimate in the competition, Soorma entered the competition with compatriot Ram Ratan Singh leading the order and among the favorites for gold. But Soorma turned the competition around with a breathtaking opening throw of 10.79m, which took him to the top of the table.

He improved that effort with a throw of 11.66m in his third attempt, equaling his best performance in the competition and setting a new Games and Asian record. None of his competitors could better his mark and ensure the Indian finished on top of the podium.

Ram Ratan, who had earlier thrown 10.35m, finished with silver, while Iran’s Hemami Alireza of Iran won bronze. Asian Para Games: Men’s Discus Throw Results.

Asian Para Games: October 20 Live

Alireza’s finish behind both Indians may seem surprising at first glance. The Iranian recorded a throw of 20.20m, considerably further than Soorm’s winning distance. However, the event combined athletes from three different sport classes, F51, F52 and F53, meaning the final ranking was determined by Raza points rather than raw distances covered.

WHY STRIKE POINTS MATTER

Para-athletics groups athletes into sport classes based on how their disability affects their ability to perform in a particular event. In competitions where athletes from different classes compete against each other, comparing their performances only by distance or time may not provide a fair assessment.

The Raza points system addresses this by converting an athlete’s performance into points using classification-specific performance tables. Points are charged for the relevant sport class and event, allowing the performance of athletes with different levels of disability to be compared. The athlete with the highest total of points wins, even if another competitor records a longer throw or a faster time.

The men’s discus throw F51/52/53 at the Asian Para Games brought together athletes with different levels of physical disabilities. Soorma and Ram Ratan compete in the F51 category, which is associated with significant limitations in trunk and limb function. Alireza competes in F53, a class generally associated with better arm function and limited or no trunk control.

The difference in classification helps explain why the longest throw did not determine the winner. Despite Alireza’s effort of 20.20m, Soorma’s performance earned him the gold medal under the event’s scoring system, with Ram Ratan securing the silver.

WHO IS PRANAV SOORMA?

Born on October 4, 1994, Soorma hails from Faridabad, Haryana. His journey to becoming one of India’s leading para-athletes began with a life-changing accident in 2011 when he was just 16 years old. A severe spinal cord injury left him with quadriplegia, which dramatically changed the course of his life.

Soorma gradually rebuilt his life, continuing his education while managing the challenges his condition presented. He did his schooling at St Paul’s School in Delhi before earning a postgraduate degree at the Delhi School of Economics. Apart from his sports career, he works as a Scale-2 Manager at Bank of Baroda.

His family played a significant role in his journey. His father, Sanjeev Soorma, quit his job to support him as a full-time companion and athletic assistant, helping him travel and manage the demands of competitive sports. Soorma eventually found his way to para-athletics under coach Narsi Ram.

Competing in the F51 classification, Soorma relies on his upper body strength and throwing technique while secured in a specialized throwing chair. His performances made him one of India’s leading sitting throwers.

His biggest international breakthrough came in the men’s F51 throw at the 2024 Paris Paralympics, where he won silver. He finished behind compatriot Dharambir to complete a memorable Indian one-two.

Soorma also won gold in the men’s club F51 throw at the Asian Para Games in Hangzhou, where he set a Games record with a throw of 30.01m. His other international achievements include winning the Serbia Open and medal appearances at the Para Athletics Grand Prix in Beijing and Tunisia.

An Arjuna awardee, Soorma has also received support from the Sports Authority of India and Olympic Gold Quest as he continues to compete at the highest level.

At the Asian Para Games in Aichi-Nagoya, he added another continental title to his collection, this time in the discus throw. For an athlete whose life changed dramatically at the age of 16, the gold medal was another milestone in a career built on perseverance, adaptation and sustained excellence.

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