Ahmedabad, Sep 5 (IANS) India’s No. 1 para table tennis player Nurjahan Noorali Jamani claimed a silver medal in Class 7 singles and a bronze in Class 7 standing doubles at the ITTF World Para Future Lahti 2026 in Finland, a twin podium finish that lifted her eight places to No. 19 in the world rankings.
Competing at the Pajulahti Olympic Training Centre, Nurjahan overcame a difficult start in the singles competition before battling her way into the medal positions. She opened with a 0-3 defeat to Germany’s Birgit Baumgartner but bounced back with a 3-0 win over Iceland’s Agnes Lovisa Johannsdottir.
Her toughest singles encounter came against Macau’s U Choi Hong, where Nurjahan prevailed 3-2 after edging the final two games 13-11, 13-11 to secure the silver medal.
Nurjahan also reached the podium in standing doubles alongside compatriot Shivam Pal. The Indian pair began their campaign with a convincing 3-0 victory over Finland’s Aaro Toivo Samuli Makela and Iceland’s Agnes Lovisa Johannsdottir. They then faced two Polish combinations, losing both encounters but finishing with a bronze medal.
“Winning silver in Lahti is one of the proudest moments of my career so far. To add a bronze in doubles made the trip even more memorable. This result means a lot to me and I want to thank Adani Sportsline for standing by me through every tournament and every step of my training. Their support has given me the platform to compete against the best in the world,” said Nurjahan.
The result also marked a significant rise in the world rankings, with Nurjahan moving from No. 27 to No. 19 and further consolidating her status as India’s leading player in her category.
Diagnosed with polio at the age of five, Nurjahan began competing in para table tennis between 2007 and 2010 before stepping away from the sport for more than a decade. She returned to competitive action in 2022 and has since emerged as one of India’s prominent para table tennis players.
She successfully defended her UTT Para Senior National Championship title in 2025-26 in Indore, having also won the UTT National Para Table Tennis Championship.
Based in Ahmedabad, Nurjahan works as a junior officer with Adani Airport Holdings Limited at Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport. Through Adani Sportsline’s “Garv Hai” initiative, she receives support covering tournament planning, coaching, performance monitoring, and international competition.
–IANS
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