Top 10 medal contenders for India at Paris Paralympics 2024

Published at :August 25, 2024 at 4:00 PM

Modified at :September 16, 2024 at 5:56 AM

India is sending its largest ever Paralympics contingent at Paris.

The Paris Paralympics 2024 are set to take place from August 28 to September 8, with approximately 170 nations participating in the Summer Games. India is sending its largest-ever delegation to the Paralympic Games, with 84 athletes competing in this edition.

At the Tokyo Paralympics, the nation achieved its best-ever finish by securing 24th place, which included 5 gold, 8 silver, and 6 bronze medals. Indian athletes will hope to make an impression and aim for a record-breaking tally once again at this year’s Paralympics.

Let’s take a look at the top ten medal contenders for India at the Paris Paralympics 2024:

10. Rudransh Khandelwal (Shooting)

Rudransh Khandelwal is an exciting prospect for India at the Paris Paralympics 2024. Khandelwal drew attention after smashing the world record in the P4 mixed 50m pistol SH1 category at the World Shooting Para Sport World Cup in Osijek, Croatia, this year.

Khandelwal will compete in the P1 – 10m air pistol SH1 and P4 – 50m mixed pistol SH1 events at the upcoming Paralympic Games.

9. Sheetal Devi (Archery)

Sheetal Devi is one of the prominent names for India in Archery at the Summer Paralympics 2024. The 17-year-old archer gained fame with her exceptional performance at the Asian Para Games 2022, winning two gold medals in the individual compound and mixed team compound events, and a silver in the doubles compound event.

8. Simran Sharma (Athletics)

Simran Sharma showed glimpses of her excellent form at this year’s World Championships by winning gold in the women’s 200m T12. She will be in the spotlight when she competes in this event at the Paris Paralympics.

Also read: Full Indian Squad for Paris Paralympics 2024

7. Nishad Kumar (Athletics)

Nishad Kumar won the silver medal in the men’s high jump T47 at the Tokyo Paralympics 2024 with an Asian record of 2.06m. Since then, he has added two more World Championships silver medals to his tally from the 2023 and 2024 editions. He previously won bronze in the 2019 World Championships.

At the Paris Paralympics, Kumar aims to secure a consecutive medal in the high jump T47 and is a strong contender in the event.

6. Bhavina Patel (Table Tennis)

Bhavina Patel rose to fame after winning a silver medal in Table Tennis – Singles C4 at the Tokyo Paralympics. This time in Paris, she will be aiming for another medal-winning performance as she competes in the women’s individual C4 and women’s doubles D10 with Sonalben Patel.

Other notable accomplishments include being the gold medalist in Singles C3-5 at the Commonwealth Games 2022 and the bronze medalist in singles C4 at the Asian Para Games 2022.

5. Yogesh Kathuniya (Athletics)

In the men’s discus throw F56, Yogesh Kathuniya enters as a formidable medal contender, having secured the silver medal at the Tokyo Paralympics. He will aim to add more medals to his Paralympic tally at the Paris Games.

Kathuniya’s other notable achievements include being a three-time World Championships medalist, with two silver medals earned in 2023 and 2024, and a bronze in 2019.

4. Suhas Lalinakere Yathiraj (Badminton)

Suhas Lalinakere Yathiraj is a top medal hopeful for India in badminton at the 2024 Paris Paralympics. As the reigning world champion in men’s singles SL4, he will look to showcase a dominant performance. Yathiraj won silver in the same discipline at the Tokyo Paralympics and aims to upgrade his medal in Paris.

3. Mariyappan Thangavelu (Athletics)

Mariyappan Thangavelu is another Indian athlete to watch at the Paris Paralympics 2024. The 29-year-old will enter the Games after claiming gold in the men’s high jump T63 at the World Championships held in Kobe this year.

In 2016, Thangavelu made history as India’s first Paralympic gold medalist since 2004 at the Rio Paralympics in the T42 category. He added to his medal tally at the Tokyo Paralympics with a silver in the T63 event.

2. Avani Lekhara (Shooting)

Avani Lekhara is a prominent name representing India at the Paris Paralympics 2024. Lekhara made headlines with her extraordinary performance at the Tokyo Paralympics, winning gold in the 10m air rifle SH1 and bronze in the 50m rifle 3 positions SH1 events.

At the Paris Paralympics, she will compete in three events: R2 – 10m air rifle SH1, R8 – 50m rifle 3 positions SH1, and R3 – mixed 10m air rifle prone SH1. The 22-year-old aims to extend her medal count with another impressive Paralympics campaign in Paris.

1. Sumit Antil (Athletics)

Sumit Antil is one of the greatest athletes to have graced track and field. Antil is the reigning Olympic champion in men’s javelin throw F64 and will defend his title at the Paris Paralympics 2024.

He also holds the world record in this discipline, achieved at the Asian Para Games 2022 in Hangzhou, where he broke his own world record with a massive 73.29m effort. Additionally, Antil is a two-time world champion, having won titles in 2023 and 2024.

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