Kapil Parmar wants to ‘create history for Indian Para judo’ at Paris 2024

Kapil Parmar is preparing to "create history for Indian Para judo" by becoming the country's first Paralympic gold medallist in the sport.

With less than five months to go until Paris 2024, Parmar won the men’s J1 –60kg category at the IBSA Judo Grand Prix Antalya 2024 in Turkiye. This performance was historic and also a confidence-boost for the Indian athlete.

Para judo was first included in the Seoul 1988 Paralympics, and the women’s competition was introduced at Athens 2004. India has not won gold in Para judo, but Parmar is on a campaign to become the country’s first gold medallist.

“I felt really good and winning was incredible. When I realised that my flag would rise in the air, I was ecstatic. Competing was an unbelievable experience,” he said after the Grand Prix event, which took place from 31 March to 2 April.

Road to glory

Parmar beat Brazil's Elielton de Oliveira in the men's J1 -60kg final in Antalya. After the victory, he shared how special that moment was for him.

“When you don’t see, it’s a special moment to step on the tatami. You have to rely entirely on your feelings and on the coach. He is the one who tells you what to do and where to go. You have to be fully confident.

“I could recognise his voice in any situation. He told me the exact time when I needed to attack and we elaborated the strategy together.”

Munawar Anzar, who coached Parmar at the Grand Prix, also spoke about the importance and the responsibilities of coaches in Para judo.

“Every action is based on the words that I can find. They need to be right. Yesterday they were and that’s amazing,” Anzar said of Grand Prix. “Half of the performance is based on words, and the other half is the feelings of the athlete. Kapil had really good feelings.

“People must understand that without sight, the judoka must be guided so they understand the place and the volume. Everything is in the mind.”

Preparing for the biggest stage

Preparation for a tournament does not just take place on the tatami mat, the coach said.

“For days before the competition, we recognise every corner of the venue, from the field of play, of course, to the warm-up area and the bathroom as well,” the coach said. “Kapil needed to know where he was. Then it’s a matter of having the right perception and in the end, everything comes naturally.”

“Then it comes to judo itself and here the coach plays a special role. At the very beginning we have to show with our hands what a technique looks like. I have to take Kapil’s hands and feet and move them accordingly so he can feel what is going on. Then he has to integrate that into his body posture.”

Umesh Kumar, Technical Chairman at the Indian Blind and Para Judo Association, was in the stands when Parmar won his Grand Prix event and screamed with joy.

“It was just wonderful. Kapil has been training so hard for many years. We were a little worried because he had a small injury, but in the end, everything went according to plan. When the final came, the hardest part was already done and he felt pretty comfortable.”

“Kapil comes from a poor background in the city of Sehore, Madhya Pradesh,” Kumar said. “His father has a tea store and when he was young, he used to help his dad. He quickly became interested in sport and eventually he came to try judo. He loved it immediately.”

Parmar started training especially hard after the Indian Blind and Para Judo Association was established in 2010, Kumar said.

“Kapil is a calm and cool person, who doesn’t do anything to compromise his training. Today he is supported by the government and can focus only on sport.”

The Indian star’s next big goal is to win at the Paris 2024 Paralympic Games, which will feature up to 148 Para judoka from around the world competing in 16 medal events.