Special silvers
Even though the gold medal in the men’s javelin throw 146 event went to Sri Lanka. Devendra Jhajhana won silver and Sundar Singh Gurjar won bronze Jhajharia, who has already won gold at the 2004 and 2016 Paralympics, became India’s most decorated Paralympian by winning his third medal. Suhas Yathiraj fell at the final hurdle of his event, losing the final of the men’s singles SL4 badminton competition. While this meant that he had to settle for a silver medal, he had scripted history already when he had assured himself of a medal. This is because Yathiraj is the first-ever Indian Administrative Service (IAS) officer to win a medal at the Paralympics.
The recently concluded Paralympics was India’s most successful in the event in terms of medals won. With five golds, eight silvers and six bronze medals, India finished 24th overall in the medals table, a creditable finish for our par athletes.
Glittering gold
Avani Lekhara clinched gold in the women’s R2 10-metre air rifle standing SH1 event. The medal that she won on August 30, 2021 was India’s first gold medal at the Tokyo 2020 Paralympics. She did it in style, setting a Paralympic record and tying the world record in the final event. She not only became India’s first woman Paralympics gold medallist, but also became the first Indian female Paralympian to win two medals in Paralympics history. She did this by clinching bronze in the women’s R8 50-metre Rifle 3 positions SH1 event on September 3.
Sumit Antil made it two gold medals on August 30, 2021 when he won the men’s javelin throw F64 event. With four of his six throws better than Australian siver medalist Michael Burian’s best throw, Antil could have swept the podium if multiple medals were awarded to a single athlete. His best throw of 68.55 metres, which came in his fifth attempt, is now a world record in the category.
Pramod Bhagat clinched the gold medal in the men’s singles SL3 badminton event on September 4, defeating Great Britain’s Daniel Bethell in the final. As Manoj Sarkar won the bronze medal play-off against Japan’s Daisuke Fujithara, it meant that this event had two Indian medalists on the podium.
Manish Narwal won the gold medal in the men’s P4 50-metre pistol SH1 event on September 4, 2021. As the silver medal was won by Singhraj Adhana in this event, it made for an Indian one-two. This meant that the medal ceremony not only had the Indian national anthem played, but also that two out of the three medalists on the podium were Indians.
On September 5, 2021, the final day of competitions at Tokyo 2020 Paralympics, India’s Krishna Nagar won the gold medal in the men’s singles SH6 badminton event. The final against Hong Kong’s Chu Man Kai was closely contested, but Nagar came out victorious in the end, winning the match 21-17, 16-21, 21-17 in the end.
Overall, Indian men won four golds, seven silvers and five bronze medals at the Tokyo 2020 Paralympics. Women, meanwhile, clinched one gold, one silver and one bronze at the competition.
Picture Credit : Google
