The 2024 Paris Paralympics continue to captivate audiences with remarkable athletic achievements across various disciplines. India has emerged as a standout performer, surpassing its previous best Paralympic performance with a current tally of 24 medals, including 5 gold, 9 silver, and 10 bronze.Harvinder Singh made history by securing India’s first-ever Paralympic gold medal in archery, defeating Poland’s Lukasz Ciszek 6-0 in the Individual Recurve Open finale. Singh, who is also pursuing a PhD in Economics, overcame early life adversity to reach this pinnacle of success.In the club throw F51 event, India achieved a historic 1-2 finish with Dharambir winning gold and breaking the Asian record with a throw of 34.92 meters, while Pranav Soorma secured silver with a throw of 34.59 meters. Both athletes have inspiring stories of overcoming severe physical challenges to excel in para-sports.Other notable performances include Juan Pablo Cervantes García of Mexico winning gold in the 100m T54 event with a time of 13.74 seconds, setting a new American record. Germany’s Markus Rehm secured his fifth Paralympic gold medal in long jump, continuing his undefeated streak since 2010 with a winning jump of 8.13 meters.As the games progress, athletes continue to push the boundaries of human potential. India’s success story at these Paralympics is particularly noteworthy, with the country now occupying the 13th spot in the overall medal tally. The Indian contingent’s performance has not only broken records but also inspired a new generation of para-athletes in the country.
Key points
- India has surpassed its previous best Paralympic performance, winning 24 medals including 5 gold.
- Harvinder Singh won India’s first-ever Paralympic gold in archery.
- Dharambir and Pranav Soorma secured gold and silver respectively in the club throw F51 event, marking a historic 1-2 finish for India.
- Germany’s Markus Rehm won his fifth consecutive Paralympic gold in long jump.
