Suchitra Parida expressed mixed emotions despite winning gold at the 24th National Para Athletics Championship (NPAC) 2026, held at Kalinga Stadium. Competing in the Women’s Javelin Throw F56 event, Parida secured the top spot with a throw of 17.80 metres but admitted she was disappointed at falling short of her personal best.
Reflecting on her performance, Parida said she had aimed to surpass her 2025 mark of 18.29 metres and set a new record. She attributed the dip in distance to weight gain, which affected her speed during the run-up. However, she remains optimistic about regaining peak form ahead of the upcoming Asian Games trials scheduled for June or July. She revealed that in practice, she has already achieved throws of 19.60 metres and is confident of improving further.
Host state Odisha delivered a strong overall performance, winning 17 medals, including five golds. Haryana topped the medal tally with 95 medals, followed by Tamil Nadu and Gujarat.
Meanwhile, Chirag Tyagi of Uttar Pradesh impressed with double gold in sprint events, signalling strong prospects for the season ahead.
