At Rio 2016, India’s para Olympians returned house with 4 medals, two greater than the able-bodied athletes. The tally jumped to 19 medals on the subsequent Summer time Video games at Tokyo in 2021. Because the 2024 Paralympic Video games will get underway with the opening ceremony in Paris on Wednesday, India will probably be seeking to proceed this upward trajectory.
Hopes are excessive because the largest-ever para-contingent of 84 athletes will probably be seen at venues the place India received 5 medals earlier this month. Double paralympic medalist Devendra Jhajharia, who’s now president of the Paralympic Committee of India, has a quantity in thoughts when he speculates on India’s medal rely.
“Our 84-member crew has come right here with nice enthusiasm. Because the president of the Paralympic Committee, I need to let you know that we’re going to create historical past on this match,” Jhajharia mentioned in a video message after the contingent reached the Video games village.
“We are going to win extra medals than we ever have within the historical past of the Paralympics. After we repeatedly say that we are going to win greater than 25 medals and that we are going to be within the medal tally of the highest 20 international locations, it’s as a result of our preparation is great, whether or not it’s athletics, badminton or archery,” he mentioned.
After their feats in Tokyo, there are already a number of headliners to be careful for from India. Earlier than shooter Manu Bhaker in Paris, there was shooter
Avani Lekhara in Tokyo who received a number of medals at one version of the Video games.
Lekhara, who was paralysed from the waist beneath after an accident on the age of 12 years and shoots from a wheelchair, turned the primary Indian feminine athlete to bag a gold medal on the Paralympics when she received the 10m air rifle SH1. She adopted that up with a bronze later. Again to compete in France now, she will probably be shouldering the tasks of the taking pictures contingent.
In athletics, India, traditionally, has executed effectively. Jhajharia’s two javelin gold medals, each earlier than Neeraj Chopra’s historic Olympic gold in Tokyo, got here 12 years aside. However Sumit Antil could not have to attend that lengthy.
Rising up in Khewra village of Haryana’s Sonipat district, Antil dreamt of being a wrestler sooner or later. He had the physique for it too, tall and well-built with sturdy shoulders. Nevertheless, after an accident in January 2015, his left leg was amputated. A few years later, he was launched to para athletics, and he thought javelin throw could be his finest guess.
From throwing the spear to 35m when he began off, Antil has now damaged — moderately smashed — the world report in males’s javelin (F64) a number of instances. Antil, who throws with a prosthetic leg, shot to the limelight in Tokyo and has since added two World Championship golds and one at Asian Video games too. He received the final one with a surprising throw of 73.29m, the farthest any para athlete has thrown the javelin throughout all classifications.
Whereas Lekhara and Antil will probably be seeking to defend their titles, there’s Sheetal Devi, a rising star who has already made headlines earlier than her Paralympics debut. Born with Phocomelia, a uncommon congenital dysfunction that causes under-developed limbs, she hadn’t come throughout a bow-and-arrow till she was 15 years outdated.
“Initially, I couldn’t even carry the bow correctly. However, after practising for a few months, it turned simpler,” Devi informed The Indian Categorical when she received three medals on the Asian Video games final 12 months. She has since develop into a well known face within the Indian sporting group, for her means to launch the arrow with the assistance of her proper leg, proper shoulder and jaw.
Additionally in focus will probably be para badminton. For the primary time since London 2012, Indian shuttlers didn’t end on the rostrum on the Paris Olympics earlier this month, however the para contingent is predicted to fare higher. Badminton made its Paralympics debut in Tokyo, the place India received 4 medals, together with two gold. Whereas one of many gold medallists, Pramod Bhagat, was suspended for 18 months because of a whereabouts violation, the contingent continues to be brimming with expertise.
“This time, we’ll attempt to improve our share to eight-ten medals, together with six gold medals. Our gamers are in good type and I imagine they are going to do effectively,” para badminton chief coach Gaurav Khanna informed Badminton World Federation. “We have to set targets for the outcomes and I imagine we are able to obtain this.”
Over the subsequent fortnight, there will probably be no dearth of inspiration as these athletes, and dozens extra, showcase their expertise in Paris, as India seeks to proceed the upward medal development of the previous couple of Paralympic Video games.