India Shatters Records at Paris Paralympics 2023

India's para-athletes returned triumphant from Paris, clinching a record haul of 29 medals. Notable achievements include Yogesh Kathuniya's silver in discus throw, Avani Lekhara's historic double gold in shooting, and Sumit Antil's record-breaking javelin throw.

India's Paralympic silver medallist para-athlete Yogesh Kathuniya said on Tuesday that speaking with Prime Minister Narendra Modi has been a significant motivation for athletes. Kathuniya secured the silver medal in the Men's Discus Throw F56 final with a best throw of 42.22 meters at the Stade de France. This achievement marks his second consecutive medal at the Paralympics, following his performance at Tokyo 2020 where he threw 44.58 meters.

Earlier on Tuesday, the Indian contingent returned to India from the Paris Paralympics, celebrated for their record-breaking performance. Speaking to ANI, Kathuniya expressed his joy on returning home and emphasized that athletes would soon resume training for future competitions. He noted the encouragement received from Prime Minister Modi as a driving force behind their successes.

The Indian team concluded its Paralympics campaign with an unprecedented tally of 29 medals, including seven golds, nine silvers, and 13 bronzes. This marks India's most successful outing at the Paralympics, surpassing the previous record of 19 medals achieved at Tokyo 2020, and placing India 18th in the medal standings. Among the standout performances were Avani Lekhara's defense of her 10m air rifle standing SH1 title with a world record, Dharambir and Parnav Soorma's one-two finish in the men's club throw F51 event, and Praveen Kumar's Asian record in the T64 high jump. Sumit Antil further dazzled with his second consecutive gold in javelin throw in the F64 category, breaking his previous record thrice.

(With inputs from agencies.)