Harvinder Singh scripted history on Wednesday by becoming the first Indian Paralympian archer to win a gold medal at the Paralympics. The 33-year-old from Haryana achieved this remarkable feat by defeating Lukasz Ciszek of Poland 6-0 in the Men’s Individual Recurve Open final at the Paris Paralympics.
Harvinder, who previously won a bronze at the Tokyo Paralympics, delivered an outstanding performance, securing his victory with scores of 28-24, 28-27, and 29-25 across three sets. His journey to the gold medal was nothing short of extraordinary, as he won five consecutive matches in a single day without showing any signs of fatigue or nervousness.
Hailing from a farmer’s family in Ajit Nagar, Haryana, Harvinder faced significant challenges early in life. At just one and a half years old, he contracted dengue, and the subsequent treatment caused a loss of function in his legs. Despite these hardships, Harvinder discovered a passion for archery, inspired by the 2012 London Paralympics.
A very special Gold in Para Archery!
Congratulations to Harvinder Singh for winning the Gold medal in the Men’s Individual Recurve Open at the #Paralympics2024!
His precision, focus and unwavering spirit are outstanding. India is very happy with his accomplishment.… pic.twitter.com/CFFl8p7yP2
— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) September 4, 2024
Harvinder made his international debut at the 2017 Para Archery World Championship, where he finished seventh. His breakthrough came in 2018 when he won a gold medal at the Jakarta Asian Para Games. During the COVID-19 lockdown, his father converted their farm into an archery range to support his training.
Three years ago, Harvinder made history by winning India’s first-ever archery medal, a bronze, at the Tokyo Paralympics. Now, he has taken his achievements to new heights with this historic gold medal in Paris.
In addition to his sporting success, Harvinder is pursuing a Ph.D. in Economics, demonstrating his dedication both on and off the field.
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