India bags 7 medals, Sumit Antil makes history

Paris: Indian para-athletes showcased the exceptional talent and resolve at the current Paralympic Games, clinching an impressive haul of seven medals across multiple events. The nation’s para-sports prowess was on full display as they secured two golds, three silvers, and two bronze medals. Kumar Nitesh’s triumphant gold medal performance in para-badminton stood out as a defining moment, steering India towards its most successful Paralympic campaign yet. Adding to the glory, javelin thrower Sumit Antil etched his name in history by successfully defending his F64 category title. With a remarkable throw of 70.59m, Antil not only clinched gold but also set a new Paralympic record. His achievement marks him as the first Indian man and only the second athlete from the country to retain a Paralympic title, further cementing India’s rising status in para-sports on the global stage.

Kumar Nitesh, a 29-year-old engineering graduate from IIT Mandi, clinched gold in the men’s singles SL3 category on his Paralympic debut. In a grueling final that lasted over an hour, Nitesh defeated Tokyo silver-medallist Daniel Bethell of Britain with a score of 21-14, 18-21, 23-21. Nitesh, who lost his left leg in a train accident in 2009, showed remarkable resilience and strategy in his victory.

Nitesh’s journey to Paralympic gold is one of inspiration. Initially aspiring to join the armed forces like his father, he found new purpose in para-badminton after his accident. He credits the spirit of army veterans and cricket star Virat Kohli as his inspirations. “I also admire Virat Kohli because the way he has converted himself into a fit athlete — like how he used to be before 2013 — and how he is now so fit and so disciplined,” Nitesh shared.

The para-badminton success continued with Thulasimathi Murugesan and Suhas Yathiraj both securing silver medals in their respective categories. Murugesan, competing in her first Paralympics in the SU5 category, lost to China’s defending champion Yang Qiuxia in the final. Yathiraj, the top seed in the SL4 category, was outplayed by Frenchman Lucas Mazur but added another silver to his Tokyo Paralympics achievement.

Adding to the badminton medal tally, Manisha Ramadass claimed bronze in the SU5 category, demonstrating the depth of talent in Indian para-badminton.

In athletics, discus thrower Yogesh Kathuniya secured a silver medal with a season’s best effort of 42.22m in the F56 category. This marks Kathuniya’s second consecutive Paralympic silver, following his success in Tokyo. Despite his achievement, Kathuniya expressed a hunger for gold, stating, “For some time, I’m winning silver only... I think I need to work harder. Now I want gold.”

Kathuniya’s journey is particularly inspiring, having overcome Guillain-Barre syndrome, a rare autoimmune condition that left him wheelchair-bound as a child. With the support of his mother, who learned physiotherapy to aid his recovery, Kathuniya persevered to become a world-class athlete.

In a thrilling turn of events, the Indian archery duo of Sheetal Devi and Rakesh Kumar clinched bronze in the mixed-team compound competition.

Their 156-155 victory over Italy came after a dramatic comeback and a revised score for 17-year-old Sheetal’s final shot. This medal marks only the second time India has won a Paralympic medal in archery, following Harvinder Singh’s bronze in Tokyo.

With these impressive performances, India’s medal tally at the current Paralympics has risen to 14, placing the country in the top 25 of the medal table.

This success puts India on track to surpass its record of 19 medals achieved at the Tokyo Paralympics in 2021.