Bhavikkumar Bharwad stripped of men's 400m T47 silver for lane infringement

India's Bhavikkumar Bharwad was disqualified from the men's 400m T47 final at the Asian Para Games after a lane infringement, losing the silver medal he had initially won with a timing of 49.31 seconds. Gavit, who claimed the top spot in the 100m event on Wednesday, won the men's 400m T47 race by clocking 48.27sec.Bhavikkumar Bharwad was stripped of his silver medal in the men's 400m T47 event. (Image: Instagram/@bhavik_400m)New Delhi,Oct 22, 2026 17:32 ISTIndia's Bhavikkumar Bharwad was stripped of his silver medal in the men's 400m T47 final at the Asian Para Games on Thursday after a protest led to his disqualification for a lane infringement. Bharwad had initially finished second behind compatriot Dilip Mahadu Gavit, who won gold in the event at the Nagoya City Mizuho Park Athletic Stadium.Gavit clocked 48.27 seconds to win gold, while Bharwad initially finished second in 49.31 seconds. However, the updated results listed Bharwad as disqualified following a protest over a second-lane infringement, changing the final standings of the race.Japan's Kakeru Ishida, who had initially finished third in 49.58 seconds, was promoted to silver following Bharwad's disqualification. Uzbekistan's Marufjon Murodulloev and Sri Lanka's Saman Subasinghe shared third place after both clocked 50.03 seconds, according to the published results. Gavit's gold medal remained unaffected.The disqualification denied India a double podium finish in the men's 400m T47 event. However, Gavit's victory added another gold medal to India's campaign at the ongoing Asian Para Games in Aichi-Nagoya. The Indian sprinter had already won gold in the men's 100m T47 event on Wednesday, making it his second gold medal of the Games. Gavit won the 100m T47 final with an impressive timing of 10.69 seconds. India's Basil, competing in the T47 category, secured silver in the event with a time of 10.72 seconds, setting a new Games record. The results added to India's medal tally as the country's para-athletes continued to produce strong performances at the continental event.GAVIT IMPROVES ON HIS 2022 GOLD-MEDAL TIMINGGavit had also won gold in the men's 400m T47 event at the 2022 Asian Para Games, where he clocked 49.48 seconds. His victory in Nagoya marked another successful campaign in the event, with the sprinter improving his previous winning time by more than a second to finish in 48.27 seconds. At the 2022 edition, Gavit's gold medal in the men's 400m T47 event was India's historic 100th medal at the Asian Para Games. He subsequently represented India at the Paris 2024 Paralympics, where he reached the final of the men's 400m T47 event.Born in Toran Dongari, a small village near Nashik in Maharashtra, Gavit grew up in a farming family. His journey in sport followed a life-changing childhood accident that left him with a permanent disability.When he was around five to six years old, Gavit suffered a serious fall from a tree, severely injuring his right arm. The lack of timely medical treatment led to gangrene, eventually resulting in the amputation of his right arm below the elbow.Despite the setback, Gavit did not allow his disability to prevent him from pursuing his passion for running. He began practising on the dusty roads of his village, where his talent was eventually recognised by coach Vaijnath Kale. Kale guided him into professional para-athletics and helped him develop as a competitive sprinter.Gavit's two gold medals in Nagoya represent another significant milestone in his career. His victories in the 100m and 400m events have strengthened India's campaign at the Asian Para Games, even as Bharwad's disqualification altered the outcome of the 400m final.The T47 classification covers athletes with an upper-limb deficiency or impairment affecting one arm, including those with a below-elbow or wrist amputation.- Ends