Nithya Sre Sivan Shines with Bronze at Paris Paralympics 2024
On September 3, 2024, Indian para shuttler Nithya Sre Sivan clinched a bronze medal in the SH6 category at the Paris Paralympics, marking a notable achievement for both herself and her country. The SH6 category, introduced for the first time at these Games, showcases athletes of short stature who compete while standing, adding a unique dimension to the competition.
At just 19 years old, Nithya entered the tournament as a top seed and lived up to the expectations. She delivered a commanding performance in the bronze medal match, defeating Indonesia’s Rina Marlina with scores of 21-14, 21-6 in a swift 23 minutes. This win not only earned her a prestigious medal but also significantly contributed to India’s medal tally at the Paris Games.
Nithya’s success brings India’s total medal count to 15, making this the second time in Paralympic history that the country has surpassed the 10-medal milestone. India’s previous best was 19 medals at the Tokyo 2020 Paralympics. This performance highlights India’s growing prowess in para-sports, with a notable emphasis on badminton this year.
In addition to Nithya’s bronze, the Indian para-badminton contingent has been impressive, securing five medals in total, including a gold by Nitesh Kumar in the men’s singles SL3 class, and silver and bronze medals by Thulasimathi Murugesan and Manisha Ramadass, respectively, in the women’s singles SU5 class. Suhas Yathiraj also contributed to the medal haul with a silver in the men’s singles SL4 class.
The momentum continued in other events as well. Indian archers Rakesh Kumar and Sheetal Devi secured a bronze medal in the Mixed Team Compound event, edging out Italy’s Eleonora Sarti and Matteo Bonnacina with a score of 156-155. Additionally, javelin thrower Sumit Antil made headlines with a gold medal win in the men’s javelin throw F64 final. Antil’s performance was particularly remarkable as he broke his own Paralympic record twice during the event.
Nithya Sre Sivan’s bronze medal not only underscores her personal achievement but also reflects the growing strength and diversity of Indian athletes on the global stage. For more details on Nithya’s journey and India’s performance at the Paris Paralympics, you can read the full article here.
As the Paris Paralympics 2024 continue, the Indian team’s impressive performances highlight a bright future for para-sports in the country.
