Others

India's Paralympic archery campaign suffered a setback as the Mixed Team Recurve Open duo of Harvinder Singh and Pooja Jatyan narrowly missed out on a bronze medal in a shoot-off.Harvinder, the reigning Paralympic champion in the Men's Individual Recurve Open, and Pooja began strongly, winning the first set 33-30. However, they faltered in the second set, scoring only 29 points, allowing Slovenia's Ziva Lavrinc and Dejan Fabcic to level the match.The Indian pair regained the lead in the third set with a 34-38 victory, but they failed to capitalize in the fourth set, scoring only 29 points to Slovenia's 34.In the shoot-off, Harvinder and Pooja scored 17 points, while Lavrinc and Fabcic scored 19, securing the bronze medal for Slovenia.Earlier, Harvinder and Pooja had lost to eventual gold medalists Elkisabetta Mijno and Stefano Travisani of Italy in the semifinals. The Indian duo had also faced a close 5-4 win over Australia's Taymon Kenton-Smith and Amanda Jennings in the quarterfinals.Despite the disappointment, Harvinder's historic gold medal in the Men's Individual Recurve Open remains a significant achievement for India in Paralympic archery.

India's Paralympic Contingent Aims for Record-Breaking Performance in ParisIndia's Paralympic contingent is poised to make history at the Paris Paralympics 2024, aiming to surpass their previous best tally of 25 medals. With several promising athletes in contention, the Indian team is confident of achieving their ambitious goal.On Thursday, September 5, India will have a busy schedule with athletes competing in shooting, archery, athletics, power-lifting, and judo. In shooting, Sidhartha Basu and Mona Agarwal will participate in the Mixed 50m Rifle Prone SH1 event, while Pooja and Harvinder Singh will represent India in the Mixed Team Recurve Open (Pre Quarterfinals).Athletics holds another medal opportunity for India, with Arvind competing in the Men's Shot Put F35. In archery, Pooja and Harvinder Singh will face Amanda Jennings and Taymon Kenton-Smith of Australia in the Mixed Team Recurve Open (Pre Quarterfinals). If they qualify, they will advance to the quarter-finals, semi-finals, and potentially the medal matches.Power-lifter Ashok will compete in the Men's up to 65kg final, while judokas Kokila and Kapil Parmar will participate in the Women's 48kg J2 and Men's 60kg J1 events, respectively.India's Paralympic contingent has already made a strong start to the Games, with several athletes securing medals in various events. The team's determination and resilience are evident, and they are eager to continue their success in Paris.The Indian government and sports authorities have provided significant support to the Paralympic contingent, ensuring that athletes have access to world-class training facilities and resources. The team's performance at the Paris Paralympics is a testament to their hard work and dedication, and they are determined to make India proud.

India's Paralympic contingent is poised to make history at the 2024 Paralympics in Paris, with a packed schedule of events on September 4th. The day promises to be filled with thrilling competitions and medal-winning opportunities for the Indian athletes.In table tennis, Tokyo Paralympics silver medalist Bhavina Patel will take center stage in the women's singles class 4 quarter-finals. She will face a formidable opponent in Zhou Ying of China, but Patel's determination and skill make her a strong contender for a podium finish.The men's shot put F46 event will witness a trio of Indian athletes vying for glory. Mohd Yasser, Rohit Kumar, and Sachin Sarjerao Khilari will all be in action, aiming to secure a place on the medal stand. In the women's shot put F46, Amisha Rawat will represent India and strive to add to the country's medal tally.Powerlifting will also be a key focus for India, with Parmjeet Kumar competing in the men's 49kg category and Sakina Khatun in the women's 45kg category. Both athletes have proven their mettle in previous competitions and will be looking to make their mark in Paris.Archery will see Harvinder Singh take on Tseng Lung-hui of Taiwan in the men's recurve pre-quarterfinal. Singh's precision and focus will be crucial as he aims to advance to the next round.Cycling will also feature Indian representation, with Arshad Shaik competing in the men's C2 Individual Road Time Trial and Jyoti Gaderiya in the women's C1-3 Individual Road Time Trial. Both athletes will be determined to showcase their endurance and speed on the cycling track.In shooting, Nihal Singh and Rudransh Khandelwal will participate in the mixed 50m pistol SH1 qualification and final, aiming to secure a spot on the podium.The day's schedule also includes the men's club throw F51, where Dharambir, Pranav Soorma, and Amit Kumar Saroha will represent India. In the women's 100m T12 heat, Simran will be looking to qualify for the next round.With such a diverse and talented contingent, India has a strong chance of achieving its best-ever medal tally at the Paralympics. The athletes' dedication, determination, and unwavering spirit will undoubtedly inspire the nation and bring glory to the country.

Pooja Jatyan, India's World Para Championship silver medalist, has advanced to the quarterfinals of the recurve women's open archery competition at the Paris Paralympics. The 27-year-old defeated Yagmur Sengul of Turkey in straight sets on Tuesday.Jatyan, who received a bye into the pre-quarters after finishing in the top nine in the ranking round, won 6-0. She will face Tokyo Paralympics bronze medalist Wu Chunyan of China in the quarterfinals later in the day. Chunyan, the second seed, defeated Oyun-Erdene Buyanjargal of Mongolia in her pre-quarterfinal match.Jatyan dominated the first set, hitting three 9s in a row. She continued her strong performance in the second set, scoring 26 points to her opponent's 22. Sengul put up some resistance in the third set, hitting two 9s and an 8, but Jatyan remained calm and edged out the Turkish archer by one point to seal the win.Jatyan's journey to the Paralympics has been marked by resilience and determination. In 1997, when she was just two months old, a high fever and a wrong injection due to medical negligence resulted in polio in her left leg. Despite this setback, Jatyan embraced archery in her childhood and has gone on to achieve great success.In 2023, Jatyan won a silver medal in the Women's Team event at the Asian Para Championship. She continued her success in 2024, securing a silver medal at the 8th Fazza Para Archery World Ranking Tournament and claiming gold medals in both the Women's Team and Mixed Team events at the Para Archery European Cup 2nd Leg.In the recurve open category, archers shoot from a standing position at a distance of 70m at a 122cm target made up of 10 concentric circles scoring from 10 points down to 1 point from the center outwards.

India's Sheetal Devi and Rakesh Kumar have etched their names in Paralympic history by securing a bronze medal in the mixed team compound archery competition at the Tokyo Paralympics. The duo's triumph marks India's second archery medal at the Paralympics, following Harvinder Singh's bronze in Tokyo 2020.The Indian pair faced a heart-wrenching defeat in the semifinals against Iran's Fatemeh Hemmati and Hadi Nori, losing in a dramatic shoot-off. However, they displayed remarkable resilience and determination in the bronze medal match against Italy's Eleonora Sarti and Matteo Bonacina.With just four arrows remaining, India trailed by a single point. Sarti showcased exceptional form, while Bonacina faced some challenges. However, Sheetal's 17-year-old shot was upgraded upon revision, giving India a crucial advantage.The Indian duo held their nerve and emerged victorious with a narrow 156-155 margin. Sheetal's composure and Rakesh's experience proved invaluable in securing the bronze medal.India's success in archery at the Paralympics is a testament to the growing strength and talent of the country's para-athletes. The bronze medal won by Sheetal and Rakesh is a source of pride and inspiration for the entire nation.

India's archery campaign at the Paris Paralympics 2024 suffered a setback on Saturday as Sarita Kumari's impressive run ended in the quarterfinals, while Sheetal Devi, known for her remarkable feat of drawing arrows with her toes, bowed out in the last-16 of the compound women's open category.Sarita, the ninth seed from Faridabad, had displayed dominance in the first and second rounds. However, her dream run was halted by top-seed Oznur Cure Girdi of Korea in the last eight. Girdi, who had shattered the world record in the qualifying round with a score of 704 out of a maximum 720 points, showcased her prowess by shooting three perfect 10s in the second end, securing a five-point lead.Despite Sarita's efforts to match Girdi's 30 in the third end and a perfect fourth end, the Turkish archer maintained her lead, ultimately wrapping up the match with a 29 in the fifth end.Sheetal, who had also surpassed the previous world record of 698 by shooting 703, endured a setback in the second end, where she shot a 7-point red ring. This allowed Tokyo silver medalist Mariana Zuniga of Chile to gain an advantage, eventually defeating Sheetal 137-138 in the pre-quarters.Despite Sheetal's early elimination, Sarita had earlier showcased her dominance by defeating Italy's Eleonora Sarti 141-135 in a one-sided pre-quarterfinal match. Sarita, who had won a team silver medal at the Asian Para Games last year, dropped just one point in the first end, securing a four-point lead. She maintained her control throughout the match, sealing the victory with two solid ends.In the open class, archers shoot from a sitting position at a distance of 50m at an 80cm five-ring target made up of the 10-6 point bands.

Seasoned Indian archer Rakesh Kumar made a strong start to his Paralympic campaign, securing a 136-131 victory over Senegal's Aliou Drame in the compound men's open category pre-quarterfinals on Friday. The fifth-seeded Rakesh will now face Indonesia's Ken Swagumilang (12th seed) for a place in the quarterfinals.Rakesh, who won a silver medal at the Asian Para Games but was eliminated in the quarterfinals of the Tokyo Paralympics, began the match with a perfect 10 in the first end, giving him a three-point lead. Aliou took the second end by a single point, but Rakesh maintained his lead and extended it by five points in the third end with two more 10s.The Indian archer continued his dominance, winning the fourth end to establish a six-point lead. Aliou managed to win the final end by three arrows, dropping just one point, but Rakesh's substantial lead ensured his progression to the last 16.Another Indian archer, Shyam Sunder Swami, who was seeded 15th in the qualification round, will begin his campaign later in the day against Comsan Singpirom of Thailand.Rakesh's victory marks a promising start for India's archery contingent at the Paralympics. The experienced archer will be aiming to improve on his performance in Tokyo and secure a medal for his country.

The 2024 Paris Paralympic Games are set to commence on August 28th, with an 84-member Indian contingent aiming to surpass their 19-medal tally from the Tokyo Paralympics. Led by flag-bearer Sumit Antil, who won gold in the men's javelin throw in Tokyo, India will field athletes across various disciplines, including archery, athletics, badminton, canoe, cycling, powerlifting, rowing, and shooting.In archery, India will be represented by Harvinder Singh, Rakesh Kumar, Shyam Sundar Swami, Pooja, Sarita, and Sheetal Devi. The athletics team boasts a strong contingent of 25 athletes, including javelin throwers Sumit Antil, Sandeep, Ajeet Singh, Sundar Singh Gurjar, Rinku, Navdeep, and Yogesh Kathuniya. Other notable athletes include discus thrower Dharambir, club throwers Pranav Soorma, Amit Kumar, and Nishad Kumar, and high jumpers Ram Pal, Mariyappan Thangavelu, Shailesh Kumar, Sharad Kumar, and Sachin Sarjerao Khilari.The badminton team comprises Manoj Sarkar, Nitesh Kumar, Krishna Nagar, Sivarajan Solaimalai, Suhas Yathiraj, Sukant Kadam, Tarun, Manasi Joshi, Mandeep Kaur, Palak Kohli, Manisha Ramadass, Thulasimathi Murugesan, and Nithya Sre Sivan. In canoe, Prachi Yadav and Yash Kumar will compete in the women's and men's categories, respectively. Arshad Shaik and Jyoti Gaderiya will represent India in cycling.The powerlifting team includes Paramjeet Kumar, Ashok, Sakina Khatun, and Kasthuri Rajamani. Anita and Naryana Konganapalle will compete in rowing. In shooting, India will be represented by Amir Ahmad Bhat, Avani Lekhara, Mona Agarwal, Nihal Singh, Manish Narwal, Rudransh Khandelwal, Sidhartha Babu, Sriharsha Devaraddi Ramakrishna, Swaroop Mahavir Unhalkar, and Rubina Francis.The Indian contingent will be hoping to make a strong showing in Paris and bring home a significant medal haul. The Games will provide a platform for these athletes to showcase their talent and determination, inspiring countless others with their stories of resilience and triumph.

India's Olympic journey in Paris 2024 was marked by a series of near misses, with five athletes finishing just shy of the podium. Arjun Babuta, Dhiraj Bommadevara, Ankita Bhakat, Manu Bhaker, and Lakshya Sen all came agonizingly close to securing a medal, but ultimately fell short.Babuta narrowly missed out on a bronze in the men's 10m air rifle shooting, finishing fourth with a score of 208.4. In the mixed team archery event, Bommadevara and Bhakat made history by becoming the first Indian archers to reach the semi-finals, but lost in the bronze medal match to the USA.Manu Bhaker, who had won two Olympic medals in previous editions, came close to a third in the women's 25m pistol shooting final. However, a series of poor shots near the end caused her to drop to fourth place after a shoot-off against Hungary's Veronika Major.Badminton star Lakshya Sen's hopes of becoming the first Indian male shuttler to win an Olympic medal were dashed in the semi-finals by Denmark's Victor Axelsen. In the bronze medal match, he lost to Malaysia's Lee Zii Jia, crushing his dreams of a podium finish.India's shooting contingent also faced disappointment in the mixed skeet bronze-medal match. Maheshwari Chauhan and Anant Jeet Singh Naruka lost by a single point to China, finishing fourth overall.Despite these near misses, the Indian athletes displayed immense skill and determination. They join a list of 17 other Indian athletes who have finished fourth in their respective events at the Olympics, including wrestling legend Randhir Shinde, track and field icon Milkha Singh, and tennis duo Leander Paes and Mahesh Bhupati.These fourth-place finishes serve as a testament to the growing competitiveness of Indian athletes on the global stage. While they may not have reached the podium, their performances have inspired a nation and set the stage for future Olympic success.