India secured two medals in the club throw F51 event at the ongoing Paris Paralympics. Dharambir Nain clinched gold, while Pranav Soorma took silver. Dharambir achieved a throw of 34.92m, setting a new area record, while Pranav’s best throw was 34.59 m, earning him the silver. Another Indian participant, Amit Kumar, struggled to make an impact, finishing with his best throw of 23.96m.
Bad start for Dharambir, but a strong finish
The silver medalist from the Asian Games had a shaky start in the club throw event. All of Dharambir’s first four throws were fouls. However, he bounced back, delivering his best performance with a throw of 34.92m in his fifth attempt. He finished the event with a final throw of 31.52m.
Pranav starts strong
Pranav had an impressive outing, achieving his best throw of 34.59m on his first attempt. Although he couldn’t improve further, his subsequent throws were 34.19m, a foul, 34.50m, 33.90m, and 33.71m.
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Finally, a medal for Dharambir in the Paralympic Games
Dharambir, hailing from Haryana, finally won a medal at the Paralympic Games. He represented India at the 2016 Summer Paralympics in Rio de Janeiro, where he finished 9th, and at the Tokyo 2020 Summer Paralympics, where he finished 8th. This is his first-ever Paralympic medal, although he has previously won silver medals at both the 2018 and 2022 Para Asian Games.
Silver for Pranav
Pranav, also from Haryana, has secured a silver medal. He has always had a passion for the sport, and recently won a gold medal at the Asian Para Games. However, he might feel slightly disappointed as he couldn’t replicate his Asian Games gold success at the Paralympics.