Key Highlights
- Debut medal: Tejal Damor won bronze in the women’s 200m T12 at the Asian Para Games 2026 in Aichi-Nagoya, Japan.
- Personal best: She clocked 25.25 seconds in the heats, improving on her 25.47 seconds from September.
- Coach first: The 24-year-old credited her coach Nitin Choudhary for the discipline behind her medal.
- Main event ahead: She now turns to the 400m T12, which she sees as her key race.
- Giving back: She dreams of building a running track for visually impaired children in Dahod.
India’s para-athletics contingent has a new medal to celebrate. Tejal Damor, a visually impaired sprinter from Gujarat’s Dahod district, won bronze in the women’s 200m T12 event at the Asian Para Games 2026 in Aichi-Nagoya, Japan. She also set a personal best in her very first appearance at the continental Games.
A Personal Best When It Mattered
The 24-year-old, who trains at the Sports Authority of India’s National Centre of Excellence (SAI NCoE) in Gandhinagar, ran 25.25 seconds in the heats to finish second and qualify for the final. That time bettered the 25.47 seconds she recorded while winning gold at the Dubai Para Athletics Grand Prix in September.
The T12 category is for athletes with visual impairment, making her steady improvement all the more impressive.
‘I Want to Thank My Coach Before Anyone Else’
Tejal gave the credit for her medal to her coach, Nitin Choudhary. “First of all, I want to thank my coach. There has been tremendous hard work and discipline behind this medal. Even when Sunday was supposed to be a rest day, my coach never allowed our training to suffer. If we had a training session scheduled, he would be there. I want to thank him before anyone else,” she said.
She also spoke about the struggles behind her success. “We came here with great expectations, immense hard work and a strong determination to win. My journey has involved a lot of struggle, but I was determined that whatever the difficulties, I had to return with a medal,” she said.
A Fast Rise in Just Four Years
Tejal started her para-athletics career in 2022. Since then, she has steadily climbed:
- 2025: Sixth place at the World Para Athletics Championships
- 2026: Gold at the National Championships
- September 2026: Gold at the Dubai Para Athletics Grand Prix
- October 2026: Bronze at the Asian Para Games
The Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports has supported her preparation with financial assistance of Rs 2,05,961 under the Annual Calendar for Training and Competition (ACTC).
The 200m Was the Warm-Up
Interestingly, the 200m was not even her main target. “My main event is the 400 metres, which is coming up next. My coach and I believed that winning a medal in the 200 metres would give us greater confidence for the 400 metres. Now, with this medal, I feel even more confident about giving my best in my main event,” she said.
A Track for Dahod’s Children
Beyond medals, Tejal has a dream that goes beyond her own career. She hopes to set up a dedicated running track for visually impaired children in Dahod, giving them a chance to take up athletics and discover their potential.
Why It Matters
Stories like Tejal’s show how structured support, from SAI centres to government funding, can help athletes from smaller districts reach international podiums. Her wish to build a track also points to a real gap: children with disabilities in many parts of India still lack access to proper sports facilities.
What Comes Next
All eyes now turn to the women’s 400m T12, where Tejal will aim to turn her bronze-fuelled confidence into an even bigger result.
With inputs from IANS.
Key Highlights
- Debut medal: Tejal Damor won bronze in the women’s 200m T12 at the Asian Para Games 2026 in Aichi-Nagoya, Japan.
- Personal best: She clocked 25.25 seconds in the heats, improving on her 25.47 seconds from September.
- Coach first: The 24-year-old credited her coach Nitin Choudhary for the discipline behind her medal.
- Main event ahead: She now turns to the 400m T12, which she sees as her key race.
- Giving back: She dreams of building a running track for visually impaired children in Dahod.
India’s para-athletics contingent has a new medal to celebrate. Tejal Damor, a visually impaired sprinter from Gujarat’s Dahod district, won bronze in the women’s 200m T12 event at the Asian Para Games 2026 in Aichi-Nagoya, Japan. She also set a personal best in her very first appearance at the continental Games.
A Personal Best When It Mattered
The 24-year-old, who trains at the Sports Authority of India’s National Centre of Excellence (SAI NCoE) in Gandhinagar, ran 25.25 seconds in the heats to finish second and qualify for the final. That time bettered the 25.47 seconds she recorded while winning gold at the Dubai Para Athletics Grand Prix in September.
The T12 category is for athletes with visual impairment, making her steady improvement all the more impressive.
‘I Want to Thank My Coach Before Anyone Else’
Tejal gave the credit for her medal to her coach, Nitin Choudhary. “First of all, I want to thank my coach. There has been tremendous hard work and discipline behind this medal. Even when Sunday was supposed to be a rest day, my coach never allowed our training to suffer. If we had a training session scheduled, he would be there. I want to thank him before anyone else,” she said.
She also spoke about the struggles behind her success. “We came here with great expectations, immense hard work and a strong determination to win. My journey has involved a lot of struggle, but I was determined that whatever the difficulties, I had to return with a medal,” she said.
A Fast Rise in Just Four Years
Tejal started her para-athletics career in 2022. Since then, she has steadily climbed:
- 2025: Sixth place at the World Para Athletics Championships
- 2026: Gold at the National Championships
- September 2026: Gold at the Dubai Para Athletics Grand Prix
- October 2026: Bronze at the Asian Para Games
The Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports has supported her preparation with financial assistance of Rs 2,05,961 under the Annual Calendar for Training and Competition (ACTC).
The 200m Was the Warm-Up
Interestingly, the 200m was not even her main target. “My main event is the 400 metres, which is coming up next. My coach and I believed that winning a medal in the 200 metres would give us greater confidence for the 400 metres. Now, with this medal, I feel even more confident about giving my best in my main event,” she said.
A Track for Dahod’s Children
Beyond medals, Tejal has a dream that goes beyond her own career. She hopes to set up a dedicated running track for visually impaired children in Dahod, giving them a chance to take up athletics and discover their potential.
Why It Matters
Stories like Tejal’s show how structured support, from SAI centres to government funding, can help athletes from smaller districts reach international podiums. Her wish to build a track also points to a real gap: children with disabilities in many parts of India still lack access to proper sports facilities.
What Comes Next
All eyes now turn to the women’s 400m T12, where Tejal will aim to turn her bronze-fuelled confidence into an even bigger result.
With inputs from IANS.