Team USA entered New Delhi with 39 athletes ready to chase glory at the 2025 World Para Athletics Championships. Every event brought fierce battles, narrow finishes, and moments of brilliance. But when the final medals were tallied, the Americans stood third overall with 28 medals, and ninth in the gold medal standings with six golds. Meanwhile, China and Brazil surged ahead to redefine dominance on the world stage. And as the dust settles at the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium, let’s take a visit back to those seven days of high-octane battles and see how the American team performed.

How many gold medals did Team USA win at the 2025 World Para Athletics Championships?

Team USA’s brightest moments in New Delhi came from the athletes who turned pressure into pure performance. Jaydin Blackwell once again proved he is the new face of American para sprinting dominance. He opened the gold count for the US with a stunning victory in the men’s 100 m T38, clocking 10.70 seconds to outpace a field stacked with international stars. Not content with one, he returned in the 400 m T38 to claim another gold, breaking his own world record and cementing himself as the standout performer for the U.S.

Joining Blackwell in the gold column, Joel Gomez also stood atop the podium in the men’s 1500m T13. Adding to the glory, Michael Brannigan won the men’s 1500m T20 title. Their victory showcased the strength of America’s middle-distance program, blending endurance with tactical precision. Meanwhile, Annie Carey secured the gold in women’s 200m T44, along with a silver in the 100m T44. But it was the field where we saw America stand even taller. Arelle Middleton delivered a standout performance in the women’s shot put F44, to secure another gold for the United States. 

Her mother, the former WNBA star Sandra Van Embricqs, told EssentiallySports how proud she was of Middleton. And watching her daughter claim the gold in the shot put was nothing but mesmerizing for her. Van Embricqs said, “It’s amazing to see that she can do this sport, and she can be by herself.” She further added, “I am super proud of her. Super proud of her progression.”

While Team USA clinched 6 gold medals, a few athletes also faced an uphill battle as they walked away without a medal.

Where did American athletes lose their stance? 

Given the track record of some athletes, fans had high hopes. But seeing them walk away without a medal was nothing short of disheartening. Nick Mayhugh was one such entity who had a lot of pressure on him. The Paralympic multi-gold medalist entered the New Delhi championships looking to reestablish his rhythm. 

He came to New Delhi with a boot slipped on to manage his broken foot. And yet, he exited the scene with a 4th place finish in long jump and a personal best. Talking to EssentiallySports, he claimed, “It’s not what I wanted. I wanted to leave here with a medal. But you can’t always get what you want.” But there’s always a next time. Keeping an optimistic mindset, Mayhugh added, At the end of the day, it’s sports.” He continued, “I think it’s moving in the right direction. It’ll take a while, but hopefully I can have a positive part in that.”

For Ezra Frech, the story was one of consistency and precision. Competing in the men’s high jump T63, he soared to the silver medal podium. Although he narrowly missed gold, Frech’s approach reflected the mindset of a champion in progress. In an exclusive conversation with EssentiallySports, he stated, “That’s the second farthest I’ve ever jumped… I had never taken jumps on it before, but we said, you know what, we took the risk, you know, we put it on.” However, he placed fifth in long jump with a season best of 6,98m. His focus has already shifted toward refining his craft for the 2028 LA Paralympics, where he aims to reclaim the top spot he held in Paris 2024.

Even Ryan Medrano failed to secure a gold. He claimed the silver medal in the men’s 100m T38 event. But, he wasn’t able to secure wins at the 400m T38 race and was just off the podium, finishing fourth. Just like Frech, Medrano didn’t lose hope. He told EssentiallySports, “So, just got some work to do when I get on my off-season. The race itself felt great. I got out good. Just need to skin some weight off. I’m about 210 pounds.” 

It all ended with the USA returning home with 13 bronze medals, 9 silvers, and just 6 golds. There were many athletes who outperformed the Americans in New Delhi. But a majority of them belonged to two nations. 

Who outperformed the United States’ Para Athletics Team? 

As per the medals tally, Brazil was the clear winner of the 2025 World Para Athletics Championships in terms of gold medals won. The Brazilian athletes won 15 gold medals, 20 silver medals, and 9 bronze medals. However, if we consider the total medals won, the flag on top of the leaderboard is that of China. After all, the Chinese athletes managed to secure 52 medals in total, including 13 golds, 22 silvers, and 17 bronze medals. 

So, where did that place the USA in the list? The blue, red, and white flag was all the way down at number nine with 6 gold medals, and on number 3 for overall medal tally with 28 medals in total.

Despite having strong contenders in track and field, several American favorites missed out narrowly on podium finishes. The overall results underscored the growing competitiveness of the global para athletics scene, as countries like Brazil and China continue to set new benchmarks for excellence. But for now, the aim is set on the 2028 LA Paralympics, where the lights will be brighter, and the performance, a lot better.