India’s medal count at the Paris Paralympics 2024 reached 20 on Tuesday, September 3, thanks to a strong finish by the team on Day 6. Several Indian athletes delivered impressive performances, especially in the final moments of the day.
Deepthi Jeevanji, Sharad Kumar, Mariyappan Thangavelu, Ajeet Singh, and Sundar Gurjar all won medals, helping India reach this milestone. Their achievements came after some early events where the results were close but not quite enough for a podium finish.
Additionally, Bhagyashri Mahavrao and Avani Lekhara also competed well. Bhagyashri finished 5th in the Women’s Shot Put – F34 Final, and Avani secured 5th place in the Women’s 50m Rifle 3 Positions SH1 Final. Despite not winning medals, their performances were commendable and contributed to India’s overall strong showing at the Games.
India Break Records with 20 Medals at Paris Paralympics
India’s para-athletes made history in Paris by securing an impressive 20 medals, including three gold, seven silver, and 10 bronze. This achievement surpasses India’s previous best of 19 medals at the Tokyo Paralympics three years ago. Over the course of Monday and Tuesday, the Indian team added 13 more medals to reach this record-breaking total.
During the Tokyo Paralympics, held from August 24 to September 5, 2021, India achieved its then-highest medal count with 19 medals, comprising five gold, eight silver, and six bronze.
Also Read: UTT: Manav Thakkar Defeats Sharath Kamal as U Mumba Wins 8-7
India at Tokyo Paralympics
India achieved a historic milestone at the 2021 Tokyo Paralympics, winning 19 medals—their best performance ever. With four competition days remaining, there is hope that the medal count could surpass 25, setting a new record.
Pooja Khanna reached the quarterfinals in the Women’s Individual Recurve Open but was eliminated, leaving the spotlight on Jeevanji and the high jump and javelin athletes. Jeevanji made her mark by securing India’s third track medal, earning bronze in the women’s 400m T20 final. The world champion sprinter finished with a time of 55.82 seconds, clinching a spot on the podium.
Paris Paralympics Highlights
At the Paris Paralympics, Indian athletes Ajeet Singh and Sundar Gurjar shone brightly in the men’s javelin F46 event, winning silver and bronze medals. Both athletes achieved their best throws of the season, contributing to a strong 2-3 finish for India.
Ajeet Singh, who was behind Sundar Gurjar for most of the competition, made a remarkable comeback with his fifth throw, reaching a distance of 65.62 meters and securing the silver medal. Sundar Gurjar also delivered a strong performance, throwing 64.96 meters to win the bronze medal. The gold medal was won by Guillermo Varona Gonzalez from Cuba, who set a new Area Record with a throw of 66.14 meters.
India had another participant, Rinku, who also performed well. He achieved his best throw of the season with 61.58 meters, finishing in fifth place.
On September 3, in the Men’s High Jump – T63 Final, Indian athletes Sharad Kumar and Mariyappan Thangavelu earned silver and bronze medals, respectively. Sharad Kumar jumped 1.88 meters, setting a new Paralympic record in the T42 category.
This record was previously held by Mariyappan, who had won silver at the Tokyo Games. This time, Mariyappan jumped 1.85 meters, earning him the bronze medal. Another Indian competitor, Shailesh Kumar, also achieved a personal best of 1.85 meters but did not win a medal. He cleared this height on his second attempt.
Also Read: Valentina Petrillo Becomes First Openly Transgender Athlete at Paralympics
FAQs
Q.1. How many medals did India win at the Paris Paralympics 2024?
Ans. India won 20 medals, including three gold, seven silver, and ten bronze.
Q.2. Who won silver and bronze in the men’s javelin F46 event?
Ans. Ajeet Singh won silver with a 65.62-meter throw, and Sundar Gurjar won bronze with a 64.96-meter throw.
Q.3. What did Sharad Kumar set the record in the Men’s High Jump – T63 Final?
Ans. Sharad Kumar set a new Paralympic record with a jump of 1.88 meters in the T42 category.
Q.4. Which Indian athletes competed in the Women’s Shot Put?
Ans. Bhagyashri Mahavrao finished 5th in the Women’s Shot Put – F34 Final, and Avani Lekhara finished 5th in the Women’s 50m Rifle 3 Positions SH1 Final.
Q.5. How does India’s performance in Paris 2024 compare to the Tokyo 2021 Paralympics?
Ans. India won a record 20 medals in Paris 2024, surpassing their previous best of 19 medals at the Tokyo 2021 Paralympics.
