sports desk29 minutes ago
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The Paris Paralympic Games have started on 28 August. This event will run till 8 September. 84 athletes from India are participating in 12 sports in the Games. 95 officers have also gone with them.
India won a record 19 medals including 5 gold at the Tokyo Paralympics in 2021 and was ranked 24th in the rankings. After three years, India’s aim is to take the number of gold medals to double digits and win more than 25 medals in total. We will know further in the story who are the contenders for winning medals for India this time….
1. Sumit Antil (Men’s Javelin Throw-F64)
India is once again hoping for gold from Tokyo Paralympics gold medalist javelin thrower Sumit. Sumit had made a record breaking throw of 68.55 meters in Tokyo. Since Tokyo, Sumit has won 2 golds in the World Championships in Paris 2023 and Kobe 2024 and gold in the Asian Games. He broke the world record by throwing 73.29 meters in the fourth Para Games held in 2023 Hangzhou. He was made the flag bearer of India at the Paris Paralympics Opening Ceremony.
Sumit broke the world record by throwing 73.29 meters in the fourth Para Games held in 2023 Hangzhou.
2. Mariyappan Thangavelu (Men’s High Jump- T63)
In men’s high jump, two-time Paralympic medalist Mariyappan Thangavelu won the gold medal at Rio 2016 with a jump of 1.89 meters and also won the silver at Tokyo 2020 with a jump of 1.86 meters. He also won gold in the World Championship held last year. This time India can get more than one medal in this event. Along with Mariyappan Thangavelu, Sharad Kumar and Shailesh Kumar are also big hopes for a medal. It will face the challenge of America’s Sam Gravy and Ezra French.
Mariyappan Thangavelu has won gold in Rio and silver in Tokyo Paralympics.
3. Avni Lakhera (Shooting)
Avni Lakhera, who had won 2 medals in the same sports event before Manu Bhaker, has a chance to repeat history. Avni had won 2 medals including gold in the Tokyo Paralympic Games. She is the first female athlete to do so in the Paralympic Games. Avni will participate in 3 shooting events.
Avni Lakhera had won 2 gold medals in Tokyo 2021.
4. Sheetal Devi (Archery)
17 year old Sheetal Devi has made a name for herself at a young age. There are very few archers in the world who do archery without arms. Sheetal is one of the three archers in this Paralympics who will do archery with the help of legs. Sheetal had won the silver medal in the World Championship. This time she will participate in mixed and singles events.
Sheetal had won silver medal in the World Championship
5. Krishna Nagar (Badminton Men’s Singles SH6)
After the ban on Pramod Bhagat, there are very few shuttlers in the Indian team from whom medals are expected. One of them is Krishna Nagar, who will defend the gold he won in Tokyo in the SH-6 category of badminton.
Gold medal is expected once again from Krishna Nagar.
6. Manisha Ramadoss (Badminton Women’s Singles SU5)
Women’s badminton star Manisha, who won gold in the 2022 World Championship at the age of just 19 and silver earlier this year, is expected to win a Paralympic medal. India’s Thulaimathi Murugesan is the top seed player in this category.
Manisha had won gold in the World Championship 2022.
7. Bhavina Patel (Table Tennis, Women’s Singles WS4)
Bringing a medal in table tennis in Tokyo was the biggest thing for India. In table tennis, Bhavina Patel won the silver medal in the Tokyo Games by defeating 12 players ranked higher than her rank. He is expected to bring a medal once again.
Bhavina won the silver medal in Tokyo 2021.
