Indian para athlete Rinku Hooda had a day to remember at the 2026 Asian Para Games in Aichi-Nagoya on Monday, as he won gold in the men’s javelin throw F46 competition.
Hooda produced a season-best effort of 65.11 metres to finish ahead of compatriot Ajeet Singh, who won silver with a throw of 65.02 metres, thus giving India a one-two finish in the event. Indonesia’s R Saktyono secured bronze with a throw of 55.30 metres.
However, Hooda’s road to glory at the ongoing hasn’t been easy. He suffered a personal tragedy as he lost his mother in August. However, the loss of his mother didn’t demotivate him despite being disturbed in his mind over the last couple of months.
He overcame his personal loss and emotional difficulties to go all the way and clinch gold in Aichi-Nagoya. And rightly so, he dedicated his gold medal to his late mother. “I was a little disturbed in the last two months. My mother passed away on August 8. I am still disturbed. It’s okay from outside, but it’s not the same inside,” he told news agency PTI in Nagoya. “I wanted to win this gold medal for my mother. So, I would like to dedicate this gold to my mother,” he added.
“It (his mother’s passing away) happened on August 8. And on August 19, as soon as the 13th day (mourning period) was over, I started training. But I started lightly,” he explained.
However, a shoulder injury meant that he was forced to rest and recuperate for close to three weeks. “I had an injury on my shoulder, a Grade 1 tear. Then I rested for around 20 days. I have fully recovered from the injury. Earlier, I used to do taping and stuff. I still do taping, but I didn’t feel any pain,” the 27-year-old added.
Rinku Hooda was born on 1 January, 1999 and hails from Dhamar village in Haryana’s Rohtak district and specialises in the F46 javelin throw category. He lost his left arm in a childhood accident involving agricultural machinery when he was around three years old.
Hooda subsequently pursued para-athletics and developed into one of India’s leading javelin throwers. His early international career included a gold medal at the Youth Asian Games in 2015 and a silver medal at the World U20 Para Athletics Championships. He made an appearance at the Rio 2016 Paralympics, where he finished fifth in the men’s F46 event. He also competed at the Paris 2024
At the, Hooda won bronze in 2018 and silver in 2022 before claiming the gold medal in Japan in 2026. He has also established himself at the World Para Athletics Championships, winning silver in 2023 and gold in 2025.
Hooda won the men’s javelin F46 title in 2025 with a throw of 66.37 metres, finishing ahead of compatriot Sundar Singh Gurjar.
