Dilip Gavit Targets 100m-400m Double At Asian Para Games After CWG Glory

Buoyed by a historic gold medal at the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow, Indian para sprinter Dilip Gavit is targeting a 100m-400m double at next month's Asian Para Games in Aichi-Nagoya, Japan.

The 23-year-old Nashik-based athlete made a stunning Commonwealth Games debut, winning the men's 100m T47 gold in a Games-record 10.71 seconds. The victory also made Gavit the first Indian male para-athlete to win a Commonwealth Games gold medal.

Having already tasted success in the 400m at the 2022 Asian Para Games in Hangzhou, Gavit now wants to add the 100m title to his collection when the Asian Para Games take place in October.

Gavit believes his experience in the 400m, his primary event, gives him an advantage in the shorter sprint. He said training for the longer race helps him develop the ability to maintain speed, making the opening 100 metres particularly effective.

“I will keep focusing on the 400m because it prepares you for how you run the first 100m,” Gavit said at an event organised by SBI Life Insurance to honour India's seven para-athletes who won medals in Glasgow.

His confidence has grown significantly after his Commonwealth breakthrough. “Because my 400m is strong, and now I have also won the Commonwealth Games gold in the 100m, I am confident of a double gold in Aichi-Nagoya,” he said.

Gavit's rise is rooted in remarkable resilience. He lost his right arm in a fall from a tree at just five years of age but went on to establish himself on the international para-athletics circuit.

Beyond Japan, the sprinter has set his sights on the Los Angeles Paralympics, where he hopes to challenge the 100m world record of 10.29 seconds.

Gavit also acknowledged that the Asian Para Games will bring greater pressure than Glasgow. He plans to rely on his preparation and “muscle memory” when competing in Japan.

He was equally proud of India's gold-silver finish in the Commonwealth 100m T47 event, with compatriot Mohammed Basil taking silver. Gavit said the result demonstrated the growing strength of Indian para-athletics.