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Preethi Pal won her second medal at the 2024 Paris Paralympics, securing a bronze in the women's 200m T35 event with a personal best time of 30.01 seconds. This achievement made her the first Indian woman track and field athlete to win two Paralympic medals. This is India's sixth medal at the ongoing Paralympics with two in track event and four in shooting.
Preethi Pal Wins Second Paralympic Medal
Earlier, Pal had won India's first athletics medal in a Paralympics track event, a bronze in the women's T35 100m competition with a personal best time of 14.21 seconds. It's noteworthy that all of India's athletics medals since the 1984 Paralympics have been won in field events, making Pal's achievement even more significant.
Preethi Pal, a 23-year-old farmer's daughter from Muzaffarnagar, Uttar Pradesh, opened India's athletics medal account on the second day of the 2024 Paris Paralympics. Pal had previously won a bronze medal in the same event at the World Para Athletics Championships in May. In the Paris Paralympics, she finished third with a time of 14.21 seconds, behind China's Zhou Xia (gold) and Guo Qianqian (silver).
Meanwhile, Indian Primer Minister Narendra Modi took to X to congratulate Preethi for her glory at Paralympics 2024.
“More glory for India as Preeti Pal wins a Bronze medal in the 100m T35 event at the #Paralympics2024. Congratulations to her. This success will certainly motivate budding athletes,” Prime Minister Narendra Modi tweeted.
The results of the women's T35 100m event at the 2024 Paris Paralympics mirrored those of the 2024 World Para Athletics Championships in Kobe, Japan. China's Zhou Xia and Guo Qianqian once again secured gold and silver medals, respectively. The T35 classification is designed for athletes with coordination impairments such as hypertonia, ataxia, and athetosis.
Preethi Pal will also compete in the T35 200m event, where she previously won a bronze medal at the World Para Athletics Championships.
Preethi Pal's Journey
Preethi Pal, born into a farmer's family in Muzaffarnagar, Uttar Pradesh, faced significant physical challenges from birth. Her lower body was plastered for six days after birth, leading to weak legs and an irregular posture. She underwent various traditional treatments, including wearing calipers for eight years.
At 17, Preethi's perspective changed after watching the Paralympic Games on social media. A meeting with Paralympic athlete Fatima Khatoon introduced her to para-athletics. With Fatima's support, Preethi competed in state championships and national events from 2018. She qualified for the Asian Para Games last year, finishing fourth in both the 100m and 200m sprints. Moving to Delhi to train under coach Gajender Singh, Preethi refined her running techniques, resulting in bronze medals in both the 100m and 200m at the World Para Athletics Championships. She also received financial assistance from the government's Target Olympic Podium Scheme.
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