India Shines at the Paris Paralympics 2024

On September 2, 2024, India achieved an unprecedented feat in the history of the Paralympics by securing eight medals in a single day during the ongoing events in Paris. This milestone marks a significant improvement from previous years where the country’s highest tally was four medals, achieved in both 1984 and 2016.

Yogesh Kathuniya began the medal rush for India in the Men’s Discus Throw F56, earning a silver medal and successfully defending his title from the Tokyo games. Despite his excellent performance, Kathuniya expressed disappointment for not being able to challenge for the gold.

Nitesh Kumar followed suit by winning gold in the Men’s Singles SL3 para-badminton event. He triumphed over Daniel Bethell in a thrilling match that lasted 80 minutes, marking his first victory against Bethell in their ten encounters.

In women’s para-badminton, Thulasimathi Murugesan brought home a silver medal after battling against reigning champion Yang Qiu Xia. Despite her loss in the finals, Murugesan’s accomplishment ensures representation of female athletes on the podium, a notable achievement since all Indian medals in this category during Tokyo were earned by male competitors.

Manisha Ramadass contributed to India’s medal tally with a bronze medal in the Women’s Singles SU5 after a strong performance against her Danish opponent. Ramadass had previously faced Murugesan in the semifinals.

Suhas Lalinakere Yathiraj, who recently became the World No. 1 in Men’s Singles SL4, secured a silver medal after losing to Lucas Mazur in a closely contested match, making him the only Indian shuttler with two Paralympic medals.

In archery, the duo of Sheetal Devi and Rakesh Kumar clinched a bronze medal in the Mixed Team Compound Open. They faced a semifinal setback against Iran but rebounded to defeat the Italian team in the bronze medal match, marking India’s first archery medal of the current games.

Sumit Antil continued to impress in the Men’s Javelin Throw F64, where he not only defended his gold medal but also set a Paralympic record with a throw of 70.59 meters. Antil’s performance included multiple throws that surpassed the previous record, solidifying his reputation in para athletics.

Late in the evening, Nithya Sre Sumathy Sivan added to the medal count by winning bronze in the Women’s Singles SH6, overcoming her Indonesian opponent with relative ease. This victory brought India’s para badminton medal count to five, surpassing the performance from Tokyo games.