India Achieves Historic Success at Paris 2024 Paralympics

India’s Paralympic contingent has concluded its most successful campaign in history at the Paris 2024 Games, achieving a remarkable tally of 29 medals. This includes seven gold, nine silver, and 13 bronze medals, marking a significant milestone for the nation.

The performance has secured India the 18th position in the overall medals table, showcasing the country as a rising powerhouse in para-sports. This achievement surpasses the previous records held by the nation.

The campaign officially came to an end on Sunday when Pooja Ojha competed in the women’s kayak 200m event but unfortunately missed out on qualifying for the final. Despite this outcome, India celebrated a historic overall performance across various sports.

In the final event, Navdeep Singh contributed to India’s tally by clinching gold in the men’s javelin throw F41 classification. Initially winning silver with a throw of 47.32m, Navdeep’s medal was upgraded to gold following a disqualification of Iran’s Beit Sadegh for a violation of conduct standards.

Simran Sharma, running with her guide Abhay Singh, also added to the medal count by securing a bronze medal in the women’s 200m (T12) event. She achieved a personal best time of 24.75 seconds, reflecting her strong performance after earlier setbacks.

Overall, the athletics category was particularly fruitful for India, contributing 17 medals, including four golds, to the overall tally. Navdeep’s gold medal represented a redemption for him after not achieving a podium finish at the Tokyo Paralympics. Furthermore, Preethi Pal made history by being the first Indian woman to earn medals in athletics, securing two bronze medals in the 100m and 200m (T35) sprints.