New Delhi, August 21, 2024: The first batch of the Indian contingent, including star javelin thrower Sumit Antil, has departed for the Paris Paralympics, aiming for an unprecedented five gold medals and a total of twelve medals. This advance team of 16 para athletes will spend a few days acclimating to local conditions before moving into the Games Village on August 25, three days before the Opening Ceremony.
Sumit Antil, who is striving to become the first Indian to defend his Paralympic gold, along with other athletes, will train at facilities near Paris to adjust to the local weather. The para athletics events are scheduled from August 30 to September 8 at Stade de France, the venue also used for the Paris Olympics.
“Sumit Antil and several other para athletes will train at the Nelson Mandela Sports Complex for a few days before entering the Games Village,” said Satyanarayana, head coach of the para-athletics team. The Nelson Mandela Sports Complex, located approximately 5 kilometers from Stade de France, offers advanced training facilities for various sports.
Some athletes will also stay at nearby hotels and utilize training facilities available there during the day. Satyanarayana expressed confidence in the team’s prospects, stating, “We are aiming for at least five gold medals and a total of 12 medals. This would be our best performance in Paralympics history.”
This optimism follows a successful showing at the 2024 World Para Athletics Championships in Kobe, Japan, where India secured sixth place in the medal tally with six gold, five silver, and six bronze medals. Gold medals were won by Antil (men’s javelin F64), Deepthi Jeevanji (women’s 400m T20), Sachin Khilari (men’s shot put F46), Ekta Bhyan (women’s club throw F51), Simran Sharma (women’s 200m T12), and Mariyappan Thangavelu (men’s high jump T42).
India had a record-breaking performance at the Tokyo 2021 Paralympics with 19 medals (5 gold, 8 silver, and 6 bronze). The country is sending its largest-ever team of 84 athletes across 12 sports to the Paris Games, including 38 from the para-athletics team.
Paralympic Committee of India President Devendra Jhajharia has forecasted at least 25 medals for the Indian contingent. Antil and Bhagyashree Jadhav, who won silver in the women’s shot put F34 at the Hangzhou Asian Para Games, will be the joint flag bearers during the Opening Ceremony, which will be held outside a stadium for the first time. The ceremony will take place from Champs-Elysees to Place de la Concorde in central Paris, mirroring the historic outdoor Opening Ceremony of the Paris Olympics on the Seine River banks.
