Para athletes return with two bronze medals from World Championship

The Sri Lankan Para athletics team on their arrival with bronze medalists Nuwan Indika (fourth from left) and Pradeep Somasiri (sixth from left)

By Susil Premalal

The Sri Lankan Para athletics team, which won two bronze medals at the 12th World Para Athletics Championship 2025, returned to the country with bronze medalists Nuwan Indika and Pradeep Somasiri and the rest receiving a warm welcome from officials of the Ministry of Sports and the National Paralympic Committee of Sri Lanka (NPCSL). 

At the championship, Sri Lanka secured the 62nd place among medal-winning nations. The global event, organized by the International Paralympic Committee (IPC), was held from September 25 to October 5 at the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium in New Delhi, India featuring 1,182 para athletes from over 100 countries. 

Brazil topped the medals tally with 15 gold, 20 silver and 9 bronze medals. Representing Sri Lanka were four male athletes, one female athlete and two coaches. 

Among them, Nuwan Indika won a bronze medal in the men’s Long Jump (T44) category, while Pradeep Somasiri claimed bronze in the men’s 1500m (T46) event. Indika was coached by former national athletics coach Y.K. Kularathna while Somasiri trained under Sajith Jayalal.