Keeping up with India’s performance in the Asian Games earlier this year, the para-athletes of our country are bagging medals after medals at this year’s Para Asian Games in Jakarta. India has a total of 52 medals now, with 9 gold, 17 silver, 26 bronze. This year, India sent the largest contingent with 188 athletes.
Rio Paralympics medallist Deepa Malik clinched the latest bronze in the women’s F51/52/53s discus throw event. Deepa earlier won a bronze in women’s F 53/54 javelin throw event. F51/52/53 s category for athletes who have all power in their arms but no abdominal movement. The events usually happen in a seated position.
In the last Para Asian Games, Incheon, 2014 India won 3 gold, 13 silver and 16 bronze raising the tally to 33 medals. This year has been a massive jump for Indian contingent as they have crossed last year’s tally.
Glittering gold
Harayana’s Ekta Byan won a Gold medal in women’s F32/51 club throw by triggering her best throw in the fourth attempt. She launched 16.02m claiming top position in the podium. She has maintained her consistency after winning Gold in National Para Athletics Championship this year at Panchkula. F32/51 features athletes with significant impairment in hand function.
Narayan Thakur clocked 14.02 seconds winning Men’s T35 100m dash. In shooting, India’s Manish Narwal won Gold in SH1 10m air pistol event. Harvinder Singh won India’s significant gold in men’s W2/ST individual recurve event. Harvinder defeated China’s Zhao Lixue by 6-0 winning the first Gold for India in Archery.
T35-38 features athletes with coordination impairments (hypertonia, ataxia and athetosis). SH1 categories athletes shooting without any support.
Sharad Kumar smashed two records to win two successive golds in men’s high jump T42/63 category. T42/63 covers lower limb deficiency, leg length difference, impaired muscle power and impaired range of movement, reported Scroll.
Not enough funds
The Badminton team at the Para Asian Games has delivered a brilliant performance this year. Parul Parmar gets Gold in Para-Badminton today. In total, on 9 medals with 3 bronze and 1 gold and 5 are yet to be decided.
“Most of the teammates are from economically weaker backgrounds and are unable to afford expensive gear or proper training. Moreover, I set up a training camp at Lucknow where I spent my own money to train the teammates. We are spending money from our own pockets,” says their coach Gaurav Khanna to The Logical Indian.
They had to buy their own kits and shoes and other requirements. Yet, the badminton team performed quite well this year with 9 sure shot medals including one gold.
The Logical Indian take
The Indian para-athlete contingent has given a brilliant performance but it is disheartening to see that most of them have no funds from the government. If the government wants athletes to perform better, they should be given all kind of support they are demanding. With these medals, it seems that India’s sporting future is in safe hands.
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