A record 84 para athletes are representing India at the ongoing Paris 2024 Paralympics being held in the French capital from August 28 to September 8.
India are competing across 12 disciplines at the Paris 2024 Paralympics Games, three more than Tokyo 2020.
Indian para athletes are taking part in three new sports – para cycling, para rowing and blind judo – at Paris 2024.
India have had impressive performances at the Paris 2024 Paralympic Games so far.
Avani Lekhara became the first Indian woman to win two gold medals at the Paralympic Games, defending her title in the women’s 10m air rifle standing SH1 shooting event with a world record score. With Mona Agarwal winning bronze, it was also the first time India had a double podium finish in a single event at the Paralympic Games.
India recorded a one-two in athletics for the first time, with Dharambir and Parnav Soorma clinching gold and silver, respectively, in the men’s club throw F51 event. Dharambir also set a new Asian record of 34.92m. Later, Praveen Kumar also logged an Asian record to win the high jump T64 title and fetched India’s sixth gold, their highest ever at the Paralympics.
Armless archer Sheetal Devi, meanwhile, briefly set a world record in the ranking round before finishing in second place. Later, she teamed up with Rakesh Kumar to achieve a world record score in the compound mixed team qualification event. At just 17 years old, Sheetal went on to make history as India’s youngest Paralympic medallist, securing bronze in the mixed team event alongside Rakesh.
In archery, India found their first-ever Paralympic champion in Harvinder Singh.
Javelin ace Sumit Antil too made history as the first Indian man to defend his title at the Paralympics, winning gold in the men’s javelin throw F64 with a stunning throw of 70.59 meters—a new Paralympic record. Remarkably, Sumit broke his own previous record, set at the Tokyo 2020 Paralympics, not just once, but three times during the competition.
With a bronze in the high jump T42 class, Mariyappan Thangavelu became the first Indian to win medals at three consecutive Paralympics. He won the gold medal at Rio 2016 and silver at Tokyo 2020.
Preethi Pal secured her bronze in the women’s 100m T35 race with a personal best time. It was India’s first-ever medal in a track event at the Paralympics. She later went on to win a bronze medal in the 200m T35 race as well.
Deepthi Jeevanji too made history at Paris 2024 by becoming the first intellectually impaired Indian athlete to win a Paralympic medal with a bronze in the women’s 400m T20 class.
India have won 29 medals – seven golds, nine silvers and 13 bronze – at the Paris 2024 Paralympics so far.
Paris 2024 is India’s most successful Paralympics in history in terms of medal tally, surpassing the haul of 19 from Tokyo 2020. However, the five gold medals at Tokyo 2020 remains India’s best.
Paris 2024 Paralympics: India’s medal winners
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