Madhubani’s Shams qualifies for Asian Para Games

Madhubani: Shaikh Mohammad Shams Alam, the pride of Madhubani, has once again lit up the international stage with a stellar performance that has earned him qualification for the Asian Para Games 2026.Shams came third and won a bronze by clicking 2:17.80 at Falkenberg, Sweden on May 9, in the 100m breaststroke (SB4 category) at the Para Swim Open Falkenberg International Championship in Sweden, pushing his international ranking by International Paralympic Committee (IPC) to 4. The para swimmer hails from the village of Rathos in Bisfi block of Madhubani district.Competing at the Klitterbadet Indoor Swimming Pool, Shams not only secured the podium finish but also smashed the national record, delivering a commanding display that has booked his ticket to Japan.This achievement has qualified him for all three events at the Asian Para Games, set to take place in Japan from Oct 18 to 24. It is yet another chapter in the remarkable journey of a young man who continues to raise the bar for Indian para sports.In a WhatsApp message, a Shams expressed deep gratitude to the state govt’s finance department, Bihar State Sports Authority, department of sports and youth welfare, the Bihar Para Sports Association, and Paralympic Committee of India for their support and encouragement over the years. Shaikh Shams Mohammad Alam is a data entry operator (Grade-C) in finance department of the state govt.