India's Prime Minister Narendra Modi extended his congratulations to para-athlete Sachin Khilari for his remarkable achievement at the Paris Paralympics. Sachin clinched the silver medal in the men's shot put F46 event, showcasing his exceptional skill with a throw of 16.32 metres. This distance also happens to be the area best (AB).
Despite his impressive performance, Sachin narrowly missed out on the gold medal, falling short by just 0.6 meters. His commendable effort was met with praise from the Prime Minister, who celebrated the athlete's significant contribution to India's presence at the Paralympic Games.
PM Modi congratulates Sachin Khilari on silver medal success
PM Modi took to X, formerly known as Twitter, praised Khilari for his impressive display of strength and determination at the prestigious event.
"Congratulations to Sachin Khilari for his incredible achievement at the #Paralympics2024! In a remarkable display of strength and determination, he has won a Silver medal in the Men's Shotput F46 event. India is proud of him," PM Modi wrote on X.
Greg Stewart from Canada secured the gold medal in the men's shot put F40 event at the Paris Paralympics, achieving a season-best throw of 16.38 meters. Croatia's Luka Bakovic earned the bronze medal with a throw of 16.27 meters. Notably, Sachin, an Indian para-athlete, had won the gold medal in the same event at the previous Asian Para Games in Hangzhou and had also clinched the top spot in the 2023 and 2024 World Para Athletics Championships.
India's Historic Medal Haul in Paris Paralympics
The Indian para-athletes have created history at the Paris Paralympics, surpassing their previous best medal tally of 19 achieved in the Tokyo edition three years ago. With 21 medals now in their collection, the Indian contingent is poised to further extend their record medal haul in a single Paralympics. On Monday and Tuesday alone, India added 13 medals to their tally, bringing their total to a remarkable 20, including three gold, seven silver, and ten bronze medals.
India achieved remarkable success in athletics at the Paris Paralympics, securing two podium finishes in the men's high jump T6 and men's javelin throw F46 events. Mariyappan won the bronze medal in the high jump with a leap of 1.85 meters, while Sharad Kumar claimed a silver medal with a jump of 1.88 meters. In the javelin throw, Ajeet secured a silver medal with a personal best throw of 65.62 meters, and Sundar finished with a bronze medal, throwing 64.96 meters. Cuba's Guillermo won the gold medal in the javelin throw with a distance of 66.14 meters.
India's Growing Para-Sports Presence
India made a significant statement at the Paris Paralympics by sending its largest-ever contingent of 84 athletes across 12 sports. This reflects the country's expanding para-sports ecosystem and the increasing focus on providing opportunities for athletes with disabilities. India's participation in the Paris 2024 Paralympics not only marked a substantial increase in the number of athletes but also raised expectations of a strong medal haul.
