Yogesh Kathuniya Wins Silver Medal at Paris 2024 Paralympics

Yogesh Kathuniya has secured a silver medal in the men’s discus throw F56 event at the Paris 2024 Paralympics, held at the Stade de France on September 2, 2024. The 27-year-old athlete achieved a season-best throw of 42.22 meters during the competition.

The gold medal was claimed by Brazil’s Claudiney Batista dos Santos, who set a new Paralympic record with a throw of 46.86 meters. Greece’s Konstantinos Tzounis took the bronze medal with a best throw of 41.32 meters, while Slovakia’s Dusan Laczko finished fourth with a throw of 41.20 meters.

Yogesh started his series of attempts strongly, securing his best throw of the day in his first attempt. However, subsequent throws did not surpass this distance, as he recorded two more throws in the 41-meter range and two others in the 40s, concluding with a final throw of 39.68 meters.

Tzounis, who was the last in the throwing order, could only manage a best of 41.32 meters in his fifth attempt, securing his third-place finish. Notably, Serbia’s Nebojsa Duric did not participate in the finals, albeit having qualified for the event.

This accomplishment marks Yogesh’s second consecutive Paralympic medal, having previously won silver at the Tokyo 2020 Paralympics. With this achievement, India has now earned its eighth medal at the Paris Paralympics and the fourth in para-athletics.

Yogesh Kathuniya, born on March 3, 1997, in Bahadurgarh, India, has demonstrated remarkable resilience in his athletic career. Diagnosed with Guillain-Barré syndrome at the age of nine, he was wheelchair-bound for two years. His mother, Meena Devi, played a crucial role in his recovery by learning physiotherapy techniques to help him regain mobility.