Australia’s hopes at the World Para Athletics Championships have been bolstered by Kirra Wright on the opening day of competition in New Delhi, with the teenager delivering shot put silver at her global debut to light the spark on the nation’s campaign.
The Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium set the scene as the perfect backdrop for the world’s best Para-athletes to stake their claim for world titles and podium positions, with Wright (VIC, Craig Chapman and Jo Kampf, F36) doing exactly that when producing the best performance of her blossoming career.
Entering the competition with a 7.61m personal best, the 17-year-old launched to 7.96m in the second round before serving up an 8.30m fourth-round throw to surprise her rivals, landing global silver in her first international showdown.
“It’s pretty unreal! I didn’t think it was going to happen. The biggest thing for me was going out there and talking to different people and meeting new people, a medal wasn’t even on the cards,” Wright said.
An indigenous athlete of the Gundijimurra people, Wright said the result is her first step on a long road to achieving her dream of representing Australia at the Paralympic Games:
“It doesn’t feel real right now. I was feeling pretty nervous going out there, so I think that’s something that I have to work on – staying calm and collected.”
The teenager who competes with cerebral palsy will also take on the 100m T36 next on Tuesday.
Paralympic sensation Telaya Blacksmith (NSW, Jacinta Doyle, T20) notched up another global final in the 400m T20 when racing to eighth place in a time of 1:03.87, embracing the tough task of two 400m races in one day after advancing from the heats in the morning session.
The Walpiri athlete who is still only 17-years-old was quick to keep things in perspective post-race, continuing her rise as an athlete with an intellectual impairment having just graduated from her high school studies.
“It’s part of the experience, I’m not too fussed. I have got a long time and all that training will come eventually, and there will be a chance,” Blacksmith said.
“It’s taught me so much to not get scared and trust the people around you; trust in your performance and your training.”
Former Para-swimmer Nathan Jason (QLD, Jason Vincent, T12) looked right at home in the green and gold with a new Australian 100m T12 record off 11.06 (+0.2) in the heats for vision impaired athletes, before doubling back in the semi-finals with an 11.04 (+1.3) showing to make it two national records in one day and qualify for tomorrow’s final.
“The first race at a big event like this is always about blowing the cobwebs out a little bit. You have to win or get a really bloody good time to qualify and this opportunity has already been a blessing as it is. I wasn’t expecting to be here,” Jason said.
Also impressing in the sprints was Ullrich Muller (QLD, Ian Thompson, T38) who blasted a new career-best of 11.18 (+0.8) to qualify for the 100m T38 final, while Samuel Allen (QLD, Stacey Taurima, T37) toppled Darren Thrupp’s 23-year national record of 12.23-seconds in a time of 11.80 (+1.3) alongside Liam Kernick (VIC, Adam McCann, T37) who set a personal best of 12.09 (+1.0) – neither man progressing to the final.
The 2025 World Para Athletics Championships are being held at the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium in New Delhi, India from September 27 – October 5.
Australian viewers can tune in live and free via the Paralympic Games YouTube channel from 1:30pm AEST.
By Lachlan Moorhouse, Australian Athletics
Posted 27/09/2025
