Varun Bhati: 'Wish the colour of the medal was different'

Varun Singh Bhati expressed regret over missing out on a silver medal after claiming a bronze in the men's T42 high jump event at the Paralympic Games. "I feel normal; I don't feel so great. I wish the colour of the medal was different," he said on the phone from Rio de Janeiro on Saturday. "I was happy with my performance, because I achieved a personal best, but not the result."

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Bhati cleared 1.86m, the same as America's Sam Grewe, but had to settle for bronze on count-back. "I'm not satisfied with this. I want to do better at the World Championships in London next year," he said.

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Bhati, whose father is Sarpanch of Jamalpur village near Greater Noida, thanked the Rio crowd for its support. "They were so loud. They cheered us every step of the way. It made me very happy," he said. "I hope what Mariyappan (Thangavelu) and I have done inspires other high-jumpers in India."