Paris Paralympic: World Champion Sachin Khilari wins silver in shot put (F46)

NEW DELHI: Sachin Sarjerao Khilari, the world champion, secured a silver medal in the men's shot put F46 event at the Paralympic Games on Wednesday, setting an Asian record with a distance of 16.32m. The 34-year-old Khilari achieved his personal best throw in his second attempt, surpassing his own Asian record of 16.30m set while winning gold at the World Para-Athletics Championships in Japan in May.
Despite his impressive performance, Khilari was unable to secure the top spot as Greg Stewart of Canada defended his Tokyo Paralympics gold with a throw of 16.38m, while Luka Bakovic of Croatia claimed the bronze with 16.27m.
Khilari's silver medal is the 11th medal from para-athletics in the ongoing Games, bringing India's overall tally to 21, including three gold medals. The tables were turned at Stade de France on Wednesday, as Stewart, who had finished second to Khilari in the World Para-Athletics Championships in Kobe in May, emerged victorious. The F46 classification is for athletes with arm deficiency, impaired muscle power, or impaired passive range of movement in arms, competing in a standing position.

"I had wanted to win the gold medal, but it did not happen. It's my best distance but I am not satisfied. I feel I could have done better. It was not my day," Khilari expressed after winning the silver medal. "It was a tough competition and Greg Stewart is a great player. I made small mistakes in my technique. I will work harder and I hope to beat him next time."
Late on Tuesday night, Indians won silver and bronze in both men's high jump T63 and javelin throw F46, following Deepthi Jeevanji's bronze in the women's 400m T20 category. Sharad Kumar and Mariyappan Thangavelu secured silver and bronze respectively in the men's high jump T63, while Ajeet Singh and Sundar Singh Gurjar took the second and third spots in the javelin throw F46 final.
Khilari, who holds a mechanical engineering degree and has an impaired left hand, was leading at the end of the second round on Wednesday. However, Stewart surged ahead with his third throw of 16.34m before improving further in his fifth and penultimate attempt of 16.38m. Other Indians in the fray, Mohd Yasser (14.21m) and Rohit Kumar (14.10m), finished eighth and ninth respectively. American Joshua Cinnamo, the world record holder with 16.80m, finished fourth with 15.66m.
Hailing from a farming family in Karagani village, Maharashtra's Sangli district, Khilari met with an accident during his school days, resulting in gangrene of the skin on his elbow and muscle atrophy. Despite undergoing several surgeries, his arm never fully recovered. He also lost his mother at a young age. Despite these setbacks, Khilari took up javelin while studying to become an engineer, but a shoulder injury during competition led him to switch to shot put.
Introduced to para sports in 2015, Khilari met well-known coach Satayanarayana, who supported him in improving his game. He also worked as a visiting faculty member at various institutions, assisting students in their UPSC and Maharashtra Public Service examination preparations.
The previous best performance by India's track and field contingent in a single Paralympics was in Tokyo, where they won one gold, five silver, and two bronze medals. With 11 medals, including a gold from star javelin thrower Sumit Antil, the para athletes have secured more than half of the country's total medals.
However, the number of gold medals is expected to be lower than what officials had hoped for this time.