Nurjahan Jamani Wins Silver in Class 7 Singles at Lahti
Nurjahan Jamani Moves to World No. 19 After Silver and Bronze in Finland
Nurjahan Noorali Jamani has moved up eight places to No. 19 in the world in women’s Class 7 para table tennis after winning two medals at the ITTF World Para Future Lahti 2026 in Finland.
The 39-year-old Indian won silver in the Class 7 women’s singles event and added a bronze with Shivam Pal in mixed doubles Class 14. The tournament was held from August 28 to 30 at the Pajulahti Olympic Training Centre. The official ITTF results list Jamani as the silver medallist behind Germany’s Birgit Baumgartner.
Nurjahan Noorali Jamani’s result comes only months after a major change in her international standing. An ITTF profile showed her ranked No. 27 in Class 7 before the Lahti event. She had earlier competed in Class 6, where her best world ranking was No. 19 in February 2026. After medical reclassification, she moved into Class 7 and her ranking was reset.
Nurjahan Noorali Jamani’s run in Lahti included a difficult start. Jamani lost 0-3 to Baumgartner in her opening singles match. She recovered with a 3-0 win against Iceland’s Agnes Lovisa Johannsdottir and then beat Macau’s U Choi Hong 3-2. The last two games against U Choi Hong were especially close, with Jamani winning both 13-11.
The result put her into the silver-medal position behind Baumgartner. ITTF’s tournament records confirm the final Class 7 order as Baumgartner first and Jamani second.
Nurjahan Noorali Jamani also reached the podium in the doubles competition with fellow Indian player Shivam Pal. The ITTF results record the pair as bronze medallists in mixed doubles Class 14. They beat Finland’s Aaro Toivo Samuli Makela and Iceland’s Agnes Lovisa Johannsdottir 3-0 before losing to Polish opposition.
The two medals are another step in a comeback that began after a long break from competition.
Jamani was diagnosed with polio at the age of five. She first played para table tennis between 2007 and 2010, then stayed away from the sport for more than a decade. She returned to competitive table tennis in 2022. An account of her early career says she began playing after taking an interest in the sport during a computer course at the Blind People’s Association. She competed in Class 6 during her first period in the sport.
Nurjahan Noorali Jamani’s return has produced a steady run of results in India. In the 2024-25 national para championships, Table Tennis Federation of India records show Jamani winning the women’s Class 6 title. She later won the UTT Para Senior National Championship 2025-26 in Indore, where she beat Dhwani Shah 3-1 in the final. That victory made her India’s No. 1 player in her category.
Nurjahan Noorali Jamani’s domestic record had already placed her among Gujarat’s leading para table tennis players. The TTFI’s 2025-26 mid-term ranking listed Jamani first among women in Class 6, with 270 points from her best two ranking results and the 2024-25 national championship.
Her international results have also started to build. ITTF records list a bronze medal in mixed doubles at the 2023 ITTF Egypt Para Open as one of her earlier international medals.
The Lahti result comes at an important point in the 2026 para table tennis calendar. The ITTF season includes World Para Future, Challenger and Elite events across Europe, Asia and the Americas. After Lahti, the calendar moves towards the World Para Championships in Pattaya, Thailand, scheduled for November 13 to 19. The Asian Para Games in Aichi-Nagoya, Japan, are also scheduled for October 16 to 23.
Jamani is based in Ahmedabad and works as a Junior Officer with Adani Airport Holdings Limited at Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport. She is also supported by Adani Sportsline through its “Garv Hai” programme, which assists with tournament planning, coaching, performance monitoring and overseas competitions. Adani Sportsline lists Jamani among the para athletes supported through the programme.
After her medals in Lahti, Jamani said the silver was among the proudest moments of her career and that the bronze in doubles made the trip even more memorable.
“Winning silver in Lahti is one of the proudest moments of my career so far. Adding 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.
Her rise to No. 19 now gives her a stronger position in the Class 7 rankings. The latest ITTF tournament record confirms the silver medal, while her player profile records her previous No. 27 position in the class.
For Indian para table tennis, Jamani’s latest result also adds another name to a strong group of Indian performers at Lahti. India won titles in several women’s events, including Class 2-5 through Vijaya Deepika Gangapatnam and Class 9-10 through Natania Jain. Sonal Patel, Baby Sahana Ravi and others also reached the podium.
For Jamani, the next target will be to turn her latest ranking rise into further results on the international circuit. At 39, her return to the sport has already taken her from a long absence to the top position in India and now to No. 19 in the world in Class 7.
