Paris Paralympics 2024 is set to be held from August 28 to September
The Indian contingent will hope to better its performance of five gold medals, eight silver medals and six bronze medals from three years ago in Tokyo.
Here are 10 athletes who are the biggest medal hopes of the nation this time in Paris:
Avani Lekhara (R2 - Women’s 10m Air Rifle Std SH1, R3 - Mixed 10m Air Rifle Prn SH1, RB - Women’s 50m Rifle 3 Pos. SH1)
FILE PHOTO: Avani Lekhara. | Photo Credit: GETTY IMAGES
Avani Lekhara turned heads with her historic performance at the 2020 Summer Paralympics in Tokyo in two events - gold in women’s R2 10m air rifle standing SH1 and bronze in women’s R8 50m rifle 3 positions SH1.
Avani became the first Indian woman to win a Paralympic gold medal. She also became the first Indian woman to win multiple medals in a single Paralympic Games.
She scored 249.6 points in the R2 10m air rifle standing SH1 final, setting a new Paralympic record and tying the world record.
Sumit Antil (Men’s Javelin Throw - F64)
FILE PHOTO: Sumit Antil. | Photo Credit: AP
Along with Avani, Sumit Antil will be one of India’s biggest medal hopes at Paris Paralympics.
Sumit had won the gold medal in the men’s javelin throw F64 category at the previous edition in Tokyo where he broke the world record three times.
The javelin thrower went on to better his own world record at the 2022 Asian Para Games in Hangzhou with a throw of 73.29m.
Sumit is also the two-time reigning world champion in the same event.
Krishna Nagar ( Para Badminton - Men’s Singles SH6)
FILE PHOTO: Krishna Nagar. | Photo Credit: REUTERS
With Pramod Bhagat missing out, Krishna Nagar is the only Indian para badminton player who will be looking to defend his gold medal from Tokyo.
Nagar beat Hong Kong’s Chu Man Kai 21-17, 16-21, 21-17 in the men’s singles SH6 final to win the gold medal at the previous edition.
Nagar is also the reigning world champion.
Bhavinaben Patel (Para table tennis: Women’s Singles - WS4 and Women’s Doubles - WD10)
FILE PHOTO: Bhavinaben Patel. | Photo Credit: THE HINDU
Bhavinaben Patel clinched India’s first Paralympic medal in table tennis as she bagged a silver in women’s singles class 4 at Tokyo 2020.
Since then, she has also won gold medal at the 2022 Commonwealth Games and bronze medal at the 2022 Asian Para Games.
Sheetal Devi (Para Archery - Women’s Individual Compound Open and Mixed Team Compound Open)
FILE PHOTO: Sheetal Devi. | Photo Credit: PTI
Born with a rare medical condition called phocomelia, Sheetal Devi is the first and the only international para archery champion without upper limbs.
However, this did not stop Sheetal from excelling in the sport, with the Indian bagging two gold medals in the 2022 Asian Para Games (women’s compound bow) in the mixed doubles and women’s individual categories. On top of the two golds, she also won silver in the women’s doubles compound event.
In 2023, she was conferred the Arjuna Award by the Indian Government. She also received the Best Youth Athlete Award from the Asian Paralympic Committee.
Yogesh Kathuniya (Men’s Discus Throw - F56)
FILE PHOTO: Yogesh Kathuniya. | Photo Credit: PTI
Yogesh Kathuniya won a silver medal in the men’s discus throw F56 event at the Tokyo Paralympics.
Since then, Yogesh has also won two silver medals at the world championships in 2023 and 2024.
Deepthi Jeevanji (Women’s 400m - T20)
FILE PHOTO: Deepthi Jeevanji. | Photo Credit: GETTY IMAGES
Deepthi Jeevanji is set to make her Paralympic debut and the para athlete from Telangana will be the favourite to take the gold medal in women’s 400m - T20 event.
Deepthi secured the quota for Paris when she set a new Asian record of 56.18s to qualify for the World Para Athletics Championships final in Kobe this year. In the final, she clocked a new world record of 55.07s to win the gold medal.
The T20 category is meant for athletes who have intellectual impairment.
Mariyappan Thangavelu (Men’s High jump - T63)
FILE PHOTO: Mariyappan Thangavelu. | Photo Credit: REUTERS
Mariyappan Thangavelu is looking to clinch a medal for the third straight Paralympic Games.
He competed in the 2016 Rio Summer Paralympics and the 2020 Tokyo Summer Paralympics in the men’s high jump T42 and T63 categories, respectively, winning the gold and silver medals in the finals.
Since Tokyo, Mariyappan has also won a silver medal at the Hangzhou Asian Para Games and gold at the 2024 World Championships.
Manish Narwal (P1 - Men’s 10m Air Pistol SH1)
FILE PHOTO: Manish Narwal. | Photo Credit: PTI
As far as para shooting is concerned, along with Avani, another name to watch out is Manish Narwal.
Manish Narwal set a new Paralympic record as he bagged the gold medal in P4 - Mixed 50m Pistol SH1 event at the 2020 Tokyo Games. After qualifying in seventh position, Narwal topped the final with a score of 218.2
Manish also won a bronze medal in P1 - Men’s 10m Air Pistol SH1 event at the Hangzhou Asian Para Games.
Suhas Yathiraj (Para Badminton - Men’s Singles SL4, Mixed Doubles SL3-SU5)
FILE PHOTO: Suhas Yathiraj. | Photo Credit: GETTY IMAGES
Suhas Yathiraj is currently ranked world No.1 in men’s singles SL4 category. Along with Nagar, he is also another Indian para shuttler to watch out in Paris.
Suhas, who won a silver medal at the Tokyo Games, is also an IAS officer of the 2007 batch of Uttar Pradesh cadre.
At the 2016 Asian Para Badminton Championship, he became the first Indian bureaucrat to win a professional International Badminton Championship, clinching gold after beating Hary Susanto of Indonesia in the final.
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