The 2024 Paralympic Games in Paris were nothing short of spectacular for India, marking a historic achievement that has everyone proud and elated! Over an unforgettable 10 days, our para-athletes showcased their incredible talent and determination, bringing home a record-breaking 29 medals: seven gold, nine silver, and thirteen bronze. This achievement not only shattered the previous record of 19 medals from the Tokyo 2020 Paralympics but also set a new high for Indian para-sports!
Meet The Indian Champions
- Sumit Antil was a force to be reckoned with, breaking his own Paralympic record three times! He set a jaw-dropping new mark of 70.59 meters in the men’s javelin throw F64 event. This victory made him the first Indian man to defend his Paralympic title, having previously won gold in Tokyo with a throw of 68.55 meters.
- Sharad Kumar soared to new heights, breaking the T42 Paralympic record with an impressive jump of 1.88 meters in the men’s high jump T63 event. He upgraded his medal from bronze in Tokyo to silver in Paris - talk about a victorious comeback!
- Dharambir made headlines by setting a new Asian record with a throw of 34.92 meters in the men’s club throw F51, while Sachin Khilari broke the Asian record in men’s shot put F46 with a throw of 16.32 meters.
- Avani Lekhara, who has already made her mark in the world of sports, continued her remarkable journey by scoring 249.7 points in the women’s 10m air rifle SH1 event, setting a new Paralympic record. She’s now the only Indian female athlete to win back-to-back Paralympic medals!
Historic Firsts for India
- Sheetal Devi and Rakesh Kumar made history by winning India’s first-ever medal in mixed team recurve archery.
- Kapil Parmar became India’s first Paralympic medallist in judo, while Harvinder Singh brought home the country’s first gold in para archery.
- Hokato Hotozhe Sema, a debutant from Nagaland, became the state’s first Paralympian and medallist, winning bronze in the men’s shot put F57 event.
Who runs the world? Girls!
The Games also highlighted the incredible talent of female athletes. At just 17 years old, Sheetal Devi became India’s youngest Paralympic medallist, breaking records with a score of 703 in the women’s compound open archery event.
Out of 84 Indian athletes, 32 were women, who collectively won 10 medals - one gold, one silver, and eight bronze. Among them were seven female debutants who stole the show - Thulasimathi Murugesan (silver, badminton), Sheetal Devi (bronze, archery), Manisha Ramadass (bronze, badminton), Nithya Sre (bronze, badminton), Preethi Pal (two bronze, athletics), Deepthi Jeevanji (bronze, athletics) and Mona Agarwal (bronze, shooting).
Four events with two Indians on the podium
In the men’s club throw F51, Dharambir and Pranav Soorma won gold and silver, with Mona Agarwal adding a bronze to the tally. In the men’s high jump T63, Sharad Kumar and Mariyappan Thangavelu secured silver and bronze, respectively. Making things even better, Thulasimathi M and Manisha Ramadass brought home silver and bronze in women’s singles SU5 badminton.
Notably, Dharambir became the oldest Indian athlete to win a gold medal at the Paralympics at 35 years old - proof that age is just a number!
A moment of immense pride for the nation
The success of the Indian team at the Paris Paralympics is a testament to the hard work and dedication of all 84 athletes who participated. Each athlete, whether they won a medal or not, displayed incredible courage and determination, pushing through challenges and inspiring all of us.
India finished 18th in the overall medal standings, with 17 medals coming from track and field events alone. This year’s performance not only set new records but also broke barriers, proving the strength and resilience of Indian para-athletes.
India has been part of the Paralympic Games since 1968, participating in 12 editions so far. With a total of 60 medals in Paralympic history, including 16 gold, 21 silver, and 23 bronze, this year’s Games marked the best performance ever for India, surpassing the previous record of 19 medals from Tokyo 2020. These legends also pushed the country beyond the 50-medal mark in our Paralympic history.
As India celebrates this historic achievement, the journey of para-sports in the country continues to grow, promising even more exciting milestones in the future.
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