Paris, Set 4 (UNI) India’s Ajeet Singh and Sundar Singh Gurjar clinched silver and bronze, respectively, in the men’s javelin throw F46 category at the Paris 2024 Paralympics on Wednesday IST, marking a significant moment in India's Paralympic history.
Ajeet Singh, 30, secured the silver medal with a stunning penultimate throw of 65.62m at the Stade de France. Sundar Singh Gurjar, who was initially in second place with a 64.96m throw on his fourth attempt, was edged into third after Ajeet's late surge.
Reflecting on his achievement, Ajeet Singh said, “I didn’t perform well at the Paralympics in Tokyo (2020), so this time I concentrated on a medal – any colour. I wasn’t focused on gold; I just wanted any medal, so I am very happy.” Ajeet, a former world champion, emphasized the significance of his silver medal, especially after facing a challenging season at the World Championships in Kobe, where he only managed a bronze.
Both athletes have overcome personal tragedies. Ajeet Singh lost his left arm below the elbow in a train accident, while Sundar Singh Gurjar, from Karauli, Rajasthan, lost his left hand in an accident that pushed him to the brink of despair before para sports gave him a new purpose. Sundar holds the world record of 68.60m set at the Asian Para Games and also won bronze at Tokyo 2020 with a 64.01m effort.
Cuba’s Guillermo Varona Gonzalez took the gold with a 66.14m throw on his second attempt, outpacing the competition with a commanding performance.
India’s medal count at Paris 2024 has now reached an unprecedented 20, surpassing the nation’s previous best of 19 medals set at Tokyo 2020. Additionally, India crossed the milestone of 50 total Paralympic medals, standing at 51 as of Tuesday, a testament to the country’s growing prowess in para sports. UNI BDN SSP