There’s a newfound love for Tokyo. A year ago, it would have been a little improbable to believe that India would see its greatest season in sport, especially in the aftermath of a cancelled 2020. Suddenly there’s something of an inevitability as Indian athletes refuse to leave the winning mix at the Japanese capital – almost adamant not to let the glory stories of the past month and half end, like a favourite movie stuck on loop.
These past six weeks – be it the Olympics or the Paralympic Games – have thrown up a new normal for us. The gold dust from Neeraj Chopra and Co’s exploits has not settled yet — the country’s para-athletes have been breaking new ground with their courage and resilience. On Saturday, it was the turn of shooters
Manish Narwal and Singhraj Adhana and shuttlers
Pramod Bhagat and
Manoj Sarkar to swell the country’s medal tally to 17, its highest since the time India started competing at these Games in 1972.
The 19-year-old Narwal, competing in P4 Mixed 50m Pistol SH1 category, smashed a Paralympic record to clinch a historic gold in his debut Games. His senior compatriot Adhana bagged the silver in the same event to make it a sensational one-two finish for the country.
Then came a Neeraj-like ascension to gold. You just had the feeling that it would be special, such was shuttler Bhawat’s quiet confidence rubbing off on us. The World No. 1 para badminton player became the first Indian to win a gold in the sport when he saw off old rival, Daniel Bethell of the Great Britain, in the men’s singles SL3 class final. Badminton has made its debut at the
Paralympics
this year. Taking a cue from Bhagat’s achievement, Manoj Sarkar bagged bronze after beating Japan’s Daisuke Fujihara in the third-place play-off.
Shooter Narwal shot a total of 218.2 for a Paralympic record after leading the final from the beginning. The multiple-time gold medallist at the para shooting World Cups and Asian Games thanked his coaches Rakesh Thakur, Jai Prakash Nautiyal and Subhash Rana for his success. “I was always focused towards winning a gold at the Paralympics and I am happy to have achieved the feat,” the man from Haryana’s Ballabhgarh said.
It was a vintage contest in badminton, familiar foes going against each other. Settled in Odisa, with roots in Bihar, Bhagat showed great fighting skills to stave off a tough challenge from second-seed Bethell in a thrilling final that lasted 45 minutes. The Indian won 21-14, 21-17. “This is very special to me,”Bhagat said after winning India’s fourth gold at the Games. “My dream has come true. Bethell really pushed me but I just kept my calm.”
Bhagat had contracted polio when he was five. Multiple inadequate treatments caused deformity in his leg. One of the best para badminton players in the country, Bhagat has so far won 45 international medals, including four World Championship gold and a gold and bronze at the 2018 Asian Para Games.
The 33-year-old is in contention for a bronze in mixed doubles SL3-SU5 class as well. He and partner Palak Kohli will meet the Japanese pair of Daisuke Fujihara and Akiko Sugino in the bronze play-off on Sunday.
The 39-year-old Adhana, who competes with polio-impaired lower limbs, has joined the elite club of Indians with multiple medals in the same edition of the Paralympics. The Faridabad-based para shooter had earlier secured a bronze in the P1 men’s 10m air pistol SH1 category on Tuesday.
Hailing from Uttarakhand, Sarkar, 31, bagged a bronze after defeating Japan’s Daisuke Fujihara 22-20, 21-13 in the third-place playoff in the men’s singles SL3 class. Sarkar had contracted polio when he was one-year-old.
Start a Conversation
Post comment