Preethi Pal Makes History by Winning First Paralympic Track Medal for India

Preethi Pal, a 23-year-old para-athlete from Muzaffarnagar in Uttar Pradesh, has achieved a remarkable milestone by becoming the first Indian athlete to win a medal in track events at the Paralympics. She secured a bronze medal in the women’s 100m T35 class at the Paris 2024 Games, clocking in a personal best time of 14.21 seconds.

This achievement places Preethi behind China’s Zhou Xia, who won gold with a time of 13.58 seconds, and Qianqian Guo, who took silver at 13.74 seconds. The T35 class is designated for athletes with coordination impairments such as hypertonia, ataxia, and athetosis.

Saturday marked the second day of competitions for India in Paris, where the country has already secured three medals, including gold and bronze in the 10m air rifle shooting events from Avani Lekhara and Mona Agarwal earlier in the day.

Preethi qualified for the Paris Paralympics by winning a bronze medal in the women’s 200m T35 at the World Para Athletics Championships held in Kobe, Japan, earlier this year. After completing her historic race, Preethi expressed her hope to win another medal in the 200m event, which she also competed in.

Discussing her journey, Preethi mentioned the impact of moving her training base to New Delhi. She stated, “I am training with many strong and experienced para athletes,” highlighting that this transition has significantly improved her performance. In her previous appearance at the Asian Para Games, she finished fourth but has since achieved this commendable podium position.

Having previously faced physical challenges, including a period where her legs were treated with calipers, Preethi’s perseverance and dedication have led her to victories. Her introduction to para-athletics came after meeting fellow athlete Fatima Khatoon, which inspired her to continue competing.

In addition to her recent accomplishments, Preethi has received support through financial assistance programs aimed at empowering athletes under the Target Olympic Podium Scheme by the government.