Paris 2024: Incredible Indian athletes make their mark in Paris
India bagged 29 medals at Paris 2024 for their most successful Paralympic campaign ever 16 Sep 2024
When Sheetal Devi took to the Para archery range at the Invalides, she felt the pressure of representing India at the Paralympic Games. For the 17-year-old Devi, who has already won medals at major tournaments, the pressure was something she did not expect.
“The pressure is not even close in other competitions,” said Devi, who is a silver medallist from the 2023 World Championships.
“I was very scared here, I didn’t know why there was so much fear because of the aura of the Paralympic Games. I was trying to control that pressure and control that fear. I wasn’t able to understand what was going on.
“I kept telling myself, ‘Sheetal, you have won medals in every competition around the world. You cannot go empty handed. You have to win something and take it for the country.”
Devi, who was born without arms and competes using her feet, finished ninth in the women’s individual compound open in Paris. But two days later, she came back strong and took bronze in the mixed team event. It was India’s first Para archery medal of Paris 2024.
“The experience of playing at the Paralympics was amazing. It was my first Games and the feeling of winning a medal for my nation was great,” she said.
Best Moments - India 🇮🇳 | Paris 2024 Paralympic Games ❤️💙💚
Dear Me,
— SheetalArcher (@ArcherSheetal) September 11, 2024
Remember, there’s bad, but there’s also good.
Trust the path and don’t let fear hold you back.
Use your status to help someone and give back generously. Keep your kindness private, never seeking praise on social media or otherwise- the recipient’s pride matters too.… pic.twitter.com/78GGbEU2nY
Incredible India
India finished 18th on the overall medals table with 29 medals – seven golds, nine silvers and 13 bronzes, in what turned out to be their most successful Paralympic campaign. At the Tokyo 2020 Paralympics, the team picked up 19 medals, including five golds.
After she finished competing, Devi also watched her teammate Harvinder Singh win India’s first-ever gold medal in Para archery. Singh topped the podium three years after becoming India’s first Para archery medallist with bronze.
The teenage star Devi is confident that she will achieve more success in the years to come in the sport that has transformed her life.
“Archery changed my life completely,” Devi said. “When I started playing, no one knew me. Now the entire world knows me – they know who Sheetal Devi is, and I am proud of that.
“Not many people believed in me, that I could do something in archery. But I am happy to live up to the expectations of the ones who believed in me.”
Meet the champions
While Devi was the country’s breakthrough star in Paris, there were also other athletes who made history for the Asian nation over the 11 days of competition.
In shooting Para sport, Avani Lekhara, who became the first female Paralympic champion at Tokyo 2020, defended her title in the women’s 10m air rifle standing SH1 event at the Chateauroux Shooting Centre.
With the victory, the superstar is now a three-time Paralympic medallist and the first woman to win two Paralympic golds.
“Winning a gold at Tokyo and then winning another gold in Paris, it was a whole journey. I was just happy that I was able to do it,” Lekhara said. “There were a lot of expectations from myself, from people around me, from some people from my country, my family.
“When I hold a rifle, I feel so confident. I feel like if I can shoot this good, I can do anything.”
Indian athletes took the spotlight at the Stade de France, where they won four gold medals. They achieved success in throwing events, with Tokyo 2020 champion Sumit Antil leading the way.
Antil broke his own Paralympic record from Tokyo three times in the men’s javelin throw F64 en route to defending his title. Navdeep Singh won the men’s javelin throw F41 event, while three-time Paralympian Dharambir won the men’s club throw F51 event for his first podium finish.
Praveen Kumar leapt 2.08 metres in the men’s high jump T64 competition, capturing his first gold with an Asian record after taking silver at Tokyo 2020.
“My coach and my family are the keys to my victory, and also the whole country of India. I’m happy with the jumps,” said Kumar.
At La Chapelle Arena, Kumar Nitesh came from behind to beat Great Britain’s Daniel Bethell to win India’s only Para badminton gold in Paris.
More to come
At the Closing Ceremony on 8 September, Preethi Pal smiled with pride as she carried India’s flag. Making her Paralympic debut in Paris, she took bronze medals in the women’s 100m and 200m T35, just five years after she started running.
“It’s a big achievement,” she said of India’s 29-medal haul. “India targeted 25 medals and now it’s 29. I’m excited to go back to India and celebrate this. All of India is waiting. There will be 500 cars, a parade in Delhi. We’ll go to my village, Muzaffarnagar.”
The 23-year-old Pal held the flag high at Stade de France with a message for the people who watched the Games, including aspiring Para athletes.
“My message is: be positive, think positive and be confident. Practice more, practice more and don’t give up.”
