Star Javelin Thrower’s Choice Devendra Jhajharia and high jumper Mariyappan Thangavelu – both 2016 Rio Paralympics The gold winners – will lead the largest contingent ever – with India expected to have at least 15 medals, including five golds.
India is competing in nine sports at the Paralympics, which are being held under strict safety and health protocols due to the COVID-19 pandemic, which has led to some countries pulling out.
Expectations of unprecedented success will not be widespread as at least four Indians are at the top of the world, while six are at number two and nearly 10 are at number three globally.
India has won a total of 12 medals in the Paralympics since its first participation in 1972 and if the projected success is achieved, the country could break into the top 25 in the medal tally this time, as against 2 gold at 43rd in 2016. , 1 silver and 1 bronze.
The government has loosened its purse strings for para-athletes and many of them are preparing well in various Sports Authority of India facilities across the country, after winning the best ever medals at the Paralympian Olympics for the success of the sport. Ready to raise the excitement. ended on 8 August.
India won seven medals including one gold and two silver medals during the Olympics.
Jhajharia, who lost his left arm to an electric shock as a child, is going strong even at the age of 40 and has targeted a hat-trick of gold medals in the F-46 category after topping the podium in 2004 and 2016. are. The current world record holder in the event.
The F-46 classification is for athletes who have upper limb deficits, impaired muscle strength, or impaired passive movement.
Mariyappan, who was permanently disabled at the age of five when a bus crushed his right leg below the knee, is another para athlete, defending the gold he won in the T63 high jump in 2016. Although he is currently number 2 in the world.
He will also bear the country’s flag during the opening ceremony on Tuesday.
World champion Sandeep Choudhary (F-64 javelin throw) is the third gold medal contender from the 24 strong para athletics team. He is also the world number one and world record holder.
Other medal prospects from para-athletics are world champions. Sundar Singh Gurjar And Ajeet Singh (also in F-46) and Navdeep Singh (F41) – all para-javelin throwers.
The Paralympic Committee of India is expected to win 10 medals from Para Athletics.
Para-athletes are given a classification based on the type and extent of their disability. The classification system allows athletes to compete against others of a similar level of ability.
Badminton will make its debut at the Paralympic Games in Tokyo and India has some bright medal prospects.
World No. 1 and multiple-time world champion Pramod Bhagat is the top contender for a gold medal in the men’s SL3 event.
World number two shuttlers Krishna Nagar (SH6) and Tarun Dhillon (SL4) are the other para shuttlers who are expected to do well.
Veteran Parul Parmar, a two-time former World Championship gold medalist, and young Palak Kohli (SL3-SU5), whose one arm was not developed properly at birth, will be carrying high hopes of returning with a medal in the women’s section.
India is also dependent on its shooters and archers to rise to the occasion in Tokyo.
In archery, India will have Rakesh Kumar and Shyam Sundar (compound), Vivek Chikara and Harvinder Singh (recurve) and women archer Jyoti Baliyan (compound individual/mixed event).
Other sports Indians are participating in are Para Canoeing, Para Swimming, Para Powerlifting, Para Table Tennis and Para Taekwondo.
India’s campaign begins on August 25 with Para table tennis players Bhavna Patel and Sonal Patel in action.
Since both are not strong contenders for podium finishes, India’s first medal is expected to come on Friday when the para archery events begin. The medal race is expected to begin after the Para Athletics event begins on Saturday.
With the Paralympics – declared open by Emperor Naruhito – being held in Tokyo and other parts of Japan in the backdrop of rising COVID-19 cases, health and safety protocols are strict.
Just like in the Olympics, only six officials are allowed to participate in the opening ceremony on Tuesday and five athletes, including flag bearer Mariyappan, will form the 11-member Indian group.
The other athletes are discus thrower Vinod Kumar, javelin thrower Tek Chand and powerlifters Jaideep and Sakina Khatoon.
The Indian contingent will be the 17th team after Iran to enter the Olympic Stadium.
Given the rising COVID-19 cases, fans have been banned from the Paralympics as in the previous Olympic Games, although organizers are still trying to allow children in some venues.
The Olympics saw over 11,000 athletes from 205 countries (plus Olympic refugee teams) compete in 339 events in 33 sports.
About 4500 athletes from 163 countries will participate in the Paralympics, but will compete in 540 events in 22 sports.
The number of events in the Paralympics is high because there are different classifications based on the level of disability.
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