India’s participation in the Paris Paralympics 2024 has been a mix of highs and lows. Anita and Narayana Konganapalle, competing in the Para Rowing PR3 Mixed Double Sculls Final, finished their campaign with an 8th place, clocking 8:16.96 and taking 2nd in Final B.
In para athletics, Rakshita Raju did not advance to the finals in the women’s 1500m T11 event, coming in 4th with a time of 5:29.92.
However, there was a notable achievement as para sprinter Preeti Pal won the bronze medal in the women’s T35 100m race with a time of 14.21 seconds, setting a personal best. Preeti also made her mark at the World Para Athletics Championship earlier this year, earning bronze in the 100m and 200m and securing her spot for the Paris Games.
India’s medal count at the Paralympics has reached five so far, including one gold, one silver, and three bronze medals. Avani Lekhara stood out by winning gold in the women’s 10m air rifle final with a score of 249.7, setting a new personal best. Shooter Mona Agarwal also won a bronze in the same event.
Manish Narwal added a silver medal in the men’s P1 10m air pistol SH1 competition. Rubina earned a bronze in the P2 Women’s 10m Air Pistol SH-1 final, with a score of 211.1 points.
This year, India has sent its largest-ever Paralympic team to Paris, featuring 84 athletes across 12 sports. This significant increase reflects India’s growing support for para-sports and a goal to surpass its previous achievements. The Tokyo 2020 Paralympics were India’s most successful, with 19 medals including five golds, eight silvers, and six bronzes. The current Paris Games highlight both progress and ongoing challenges for Indian athletes on the world stage.
