Top 11 Indians who finished fourth at Paralympics

Published at :September 5, 2024 at 11:17 PM

Modified at :September 5, 2024 at 11:18 PM

(Courtesy : @sandeepjavelin/Twitter)

Farman Basha was the first Indian para-athlete to have multiple fourth place finishes.

Every four years, the world watches as athletes with disabilities are on show at the Paralympics. These games, held right after the Olympics, bring together thousands of competitors from over 160 countries.

For many countries, including India, the Paralympics have become a chance to shine on the world stage. Indian para-athletes have been making their mark, competing at the highest levels in various sports.

However, several of these talented individuals have found themselves in a bittersweet position – finishing fourth, just one spot away from a Paralympic medal.

Fourth place finishes are a tough pill to swallow for athletes – so close to a medal yet leaving empty-handed. But for Indian para-athletes, these results show they can compete with the world’s best. They’ve overcome many hurdles, from lack of facilities to limited funding, to reach this level.

This article looks at some Indian para-athletes who just missed out on Paralympic medals after finishing fourth in their respective events.

Indian para-athletes who finished fourth at Paralympics

11. Simran -Athletics, women’s T12 100m (Paris 2024)

Simran was competing at the Paralympics for the second time at Paris. She began her T12 100m campaign by finishing first in her heats with a season best timing of 12.17 seconds. In the sem-final she came in second with a timing of 12.33 seconds but it was enough for a place in the final.

In the final Simran missed a medal by five hundreth of a second with a timing of 12.31 seconds. It was a close finish for the Indian as she ended up on fourth position.

10. Harvinder Singh/ Pooja- Archery, Mixed team recurve (Paris 2024)

Harvinder Singh and Pooja started their Paris Paralympics 2024 campaign with a close win over Australia in Mixed team recurve under archery. The pair then registered a strong win over Poland but lost to Italy in the semi-finals. The bronze medal playoffs saw the Indian duo losing to Slovenia in the shootouts as they settled for a fourth place finish.

9. Shailesh Kumar- Athletics, Men’s High Jump – T63 (Paris 2024)

Shailesh Kumar made his Paralympic debut at Paris in 2024. He competed in the men’s T63 High jump event. He registered a personal best of 1.85m but it was not enough for a place on the podium. The 27-year-old finished fourth as it was a close call for the Indian.

8. Sukant Kadam- Badminton, Men’s Singles SL4 (Paris 2024)

Sukant Kadam made his Paralympics debut at Paris in 2024. He had a tough start to the event with a marathon three game victory over Mohd Amin Burhanuddin. In the next match, the 31-year-old Indian breezed past his opponent. In the semifnals, Kadam lost to compatriot Suhas Yathiraj who went to collect his second silver medal at the games.

In the bronze medal playoffs, Kadam faced Fredy Setiawan as the Indonesian shuttler defeated him in straight games.

7. Sivarajan Solaimalai, Nithya Sre Sivan- Badminton, Mixed Doubles SH6 (Paris 2024)

Para shuttlers Sivarajan Solaimalai and Nithya Sre Sivan had a good start in the mixed doubles SH 6 at Paris Paralympics 2024. The duo did not drop a game in their first two group matches but lost in the semfinals. In the bronze medal playoffs they lost to Subhan Subhan and Rina Marlina 21-17, 21-12.

6. Rakesh Kumar- Archery, Men’s Individual compound open (Paris 2024)

Rakesh Kumar had a positive start during the men’s individual compound open event at Paris Paralympics 2024. He began with a season best score of 696 in the ranking round. He eased the 1/16 elmination round and edged out his opponents through shootout in the next two rounds.

In the semfinals he lost by two points and faced China’s He Zihao during the bronze medal playoffs. Kumar was leading by a point until the third round. Zihao scored a perfect 30 in the last two rounds as he edged the Indian by a single point to win bronze.

5. Swaroop Mahavir Ulhankar – Shooting, Men’s R1 10m Air Rifle Standing SH 1 (Tokyo 2020)

Swaroop Mahavir Unhalkar competed in the Men’s R1 10m Air Rifle Standing SH1 event, Unhalkar qualified for the finals and finished fourth with a score of 203.9.Ulhankar ‘s luck had him in the finals. During the final round, he faced a challenge when he experienced a misfire in the sixth series. Ulhankar finished fourth.

4. Soman Rana – Shot Put F57 (Tokyo 2020)

Havildar Soman Rana, hailing from Shillong, competed in the Men’s Shot Put F57 event at the Tokyo Paralympics in 2021. Rana’s best throw of 13.81m in his first attempt secured him fourth place in a highly competitive field.

The event saw extraordinary performances, with the gold medalist, Brazil’s Thiago Paulino dos Santos, breaking the Paralympic record. Rana’s throw, while impressive, wasn’t enough to crack the top three in this world-class competition.

3. Tarun Dhillon – MS SL4, Badminton (Tokyo 2020)

Tarun Dhillon, a para-badminton player from Haryana, faced heartbreak at the 2020 Tokyo Paralympics. Competing in the SL4 category, Dhillon reached the semifinals but fell short of the medal rounds.

Dhillon lost to Lucas Mazur in the semifinal, with scores of 16-21, 21-16, and 18-21. His hopes for bronze were dashed in a tough match against Indonesia’s Fredy Setiawan, losing 17-21 and 11-21.Dhillon has tasted success elsewhere. He won gold in men’s doubles at the 2022 Asian Para Games and has been ranked as high as world number 2 in his category.

2. Farman Basha – Men’s 49 KG powerlifting (Beijing 2008, Rio 2016)

Farman Basha, an Indian powerlifter, came agonizingly close to a medal at the 2016 Rio Paralympics. Competing in the men’s 49 kg category, Basha lifted a total of 140 kg. This impressive feat landed him in fourth place, narrowly missing out on bronze.

Basha’s story is one of persistence. The Rio Games marked his fourth Paralympic appearance, following 10th place in 2004, 4th in 2008, and 5th in 2012. While a Paralympic medal has eluded him, Basha’s achievements have not gone unnoticed. He received the Arjuna Award in 2008 and the Ekalavya Award in 2010.

1. Sandeep Chaudhary- Javelin Throw F42/F44 (Rio 2016), F64 (Tokyo 2020), F64 (Paris 2024)

At the 2016 Rio Paralympics, Sandeep Chaudhary competed in the Men’s Javelin Throw F42/F44 event. Chaudhary achieved a personal best throw of 54.30 meters, which placed him fourth in the final standings.

While missing out on a medal was disappointing, Chaudhary’s performance laid the groundwork for future success. He went on to set a new world record at the 2018 Asian Para Games with a throw of 60.01 meters.

At the Tokyo Paralympics in 2020, Chaudhary produced his best attempt of 62.20m to finish fourth.

At Paris Paralympics 2024, Chaudhary breached the 60m mark five times and threw a season best of 62.80 in his second attempt. The 28-year-old finshed fourth to end his camapign at Paris.

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