India’s Triumph on Day 5: 8 Medals, Including 2 Golds, Propel Nation into Top 20
On the fifth day of the Paralympics 2024, India delivered an outstanding performance, securing a total of eight medals, including two golds that highlighted their remarkable progress in the Games.
Gold Medals for Antil and Nitesh:
The spotlight shone brightly on Sumit Antil and Nitesh Kumar, who each clinched gold in their respective events. Nitesh Kumar, aged 29, delivered an impressive victory in the men’s singles SL3 badminton category. In a thrilling final that extended over an hour, Kumar overcame Britain’s Daniel Bethell with scores of 21-14, 18-21, 23-21. Reflecting on his performance, Kumar shared, “I was determined not to repeat past mistakes. I focused on each point and stayed resilient.”
Later in the day, Sumit Antil made history by defending his title in the men’s javelin throw. Antil broke his own Paralympic record with a throw of 70.59 meters, surpassing his previous mark of 68.55 meters set at the Tokyo Paralympics. His triumph solidified his status as India’s third gold medallist of the Games.
Additional Medals and Milestones:
In addition to the gold medals, India garnered several other accolades. Yogesh Kathuniya, Thulasimathi Murugesan, and Suhas Yathiraj each secured silver medals in their events. Shuttler Manisha Ramadass achieved a bronze in the SU5 category.
In a historic achievement, archers Sheetal Devi and Rakesh Kumar won bronze in the Mixed Team Compound event, defeating Italy’s Eleonora Sarti and Matteo Bonnacina by a narrow margin of 156-155. This marked India’s first-ever archery medal at the Paralympics, with 17-year-old Sheetal Devi making history as the first Indian woman to earn a Paralympic archery medal.
India’s Rising Status:
With these new medals, India has surged into the top 20 of the medal table, bringing their total to 14. The next goal for the Indian contingent is to surpass their previous record of 19 medals achieved at the Tokyo Paralympics. The impressive showing on Day 5 underscores India’s growing prowess on the international stage and sets the stage for a strong finish to the Games.
For more details on the day’s highlights, you can read the full article here.
