Asian Para Games 2023: Dilip Gavit wins historic 100th medal for India, tops men's 400m T47 event

His medal helped India breach the three-figure milestone for the first time in the competition history.

India's young sensation Dilip Gavit clinched gold in men's 400m T47 event at the Asian Para Games 2023 held in Hangzhou, China. The 20-year-old clocked an impressive timing of 49.48 seconds to achieve the gold medal and with it also help India script history. For the first time in its history at the Asian Para Games, India have won a haul of 100 medals and counting.

Jasbeer, the other Indian in the event, finished a credible fourth with a personal best performance of 50.74 seconds. He fell few milli seconds short from taking the bronze medal, which was won by Sri Lanka's Subasinghe.

A total of seven athletes participated in the event with Makshat from Kazakhstan failing to the start. Apart from winning gold, what made this medal even more special is that India breached the historic 100-medal mark for the first time at the Asian Para Games.

India started the final day of the Games just a medal short from reaching the coveted three figure milestone after the end of day 5. Like always, the onus was on the athletics contingent who so far have won close to half the medals the country has secured so far. Gavit took it upon himself and produced a good performance in the 400m event.

The athlete from Maharashtra has been one of the consistent performers in the foreign meets in the past year. By finishing fourth in the recently concluded Para Athletics Championships, Gavit, secured a quota for Paris Paralympics. The 20-year-old, has won four successive gold medals at the Para National Athletic Championship.

With Paralympics a year ahead, Gavit will look to improve upon his timings. He can become a sure shot medal contender if he goes below the 48-second mark.