The 2024 Paris Paralympics will go down in history as a monumental campaign for Indian sports. With an 84-member contingent, India achieved its best-ever performance, securing an impressive 29 medals. This achievement highlights the significant growth of para sports in India, particularly over the last decade.
The Indian para-athletics team led the charge with a total of 17 medals, including four golds, more than double the tally from the previous edition in Tokyo. This success underscores the remarkable strides India has made across various disciplines.
New Chapter for Indian javelin throwers
Javelin throw, already a sport of great pride in India, saw its legacy grow stronger in Paris. Indian javelin throwers delivered outstanding performances, winning four medals, including two golds. This brought India’s total javelin medal count at the Paralympics to double digits.
Sumit Antil defended his F64 javelin throw title, setting a Paralympic record of 70.59 metres. Navdeep Singh added to the celebration by winning gold in the men’s F41 category, also with a Paralympic record of 47.32 metres.
In the F46 category, Ajeet Singh and Sundar Singh Gurjar claimed silver and bronze, marking India’s dominance in the event.
Consistency in High Jump success at Paris Paralympics
Indian high jumpers continued their impressive track record in international competitions. All four medalists from the Tokyo Games repeated their success in Paris. Praveen Kumar claimed gold in the T64 event with an Asian record jump of 2.08 metres, while Nishad Kumar secured his second consecutive silver in the T47 event.
In a historic achievement, India completed a double podium finish in the T42/63 category for the third straight Paralympics. Sharad Kumar and Mariyappan Thangavelu took home silver and bronze, respectively, further solidifying their place in India’s sporting history.
Historic First in Track Events at Paris 2024
Paris 2024 saw India claim its first-ever medals in track events. Preethi Pal became the first Indian to win a track medal, earning bronze in the women’s 100m T35 event with a personal best time of 14.21 seconds. She later added another bronze in the 200m T35 event.
World champion Deepthi Jeevanji followed suit, clinching bronze in the women’s 400m T20 event, while Simran Sharma rounded off India’s track success with a bronze in the 200m T12 category.
Ending Long Shot Put Drought at Paris Paralympics
In a historic moment, India finally ended a 40-year wait for a men’s shot put medal. Sachin Khilari won silver in the F46 category with a new Asian record throw of 16.32 metres, and Hokato Sema took bronze in the F57 category, making him the first Paralympian from the Northeast to win a medal.
Landmark campaign for Indian Para Sports
India’s exceptional performance at the 2024 Paris Paralympics marks a new era for para sports in the country. The campaign not only showcased India’s talent across multiple disciplines but also provided a glimpse into the future of Indian sports, with athletes continuing to break barriers and set new records.
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