Sachin Tendulkar recently praised India’s para-athletes following their remarkable performance at the Paris Paralympics, where they achieved a historic medal tally of 29, including seven golds, nine silvers, and 13 bronzes. This marks India’s best-ever performance at the Paralympic Games, surpassing the previous record of 19 medals at the Tokyo 2020 Paralympics.
Tendulkar highlighted the significance of the achievement in a post on X (formerly Twitter), celebrating the numbers—7-9-13 on the date 7-9-24—and expressing pride in the athletes’ determination and teamwork. He extended his congratulations to all players, administrators, and support staff for their contributions.
- Historic Medal Count: India secured a total of 29 medals, setting a new national record in Paralympic history.
- Avani Lekhara: She made history as the first Indian woman to win two Paralympic gold medals, defending her title in the women’s 10m air rifle standing SH1 event with a world record score of 249.7 points.
- Para-Athletics Success: India achieved a one-two finish in the men’s club throw F51 event, with Dharambir winning gold and Parnav Soorma taking silver. Dharambir also set an Asian record with a throw of 34.92 m.
- Praveen Kumar: He won gold in the T64 high jump with an Asian record jump of 2.08 m, contributing to the team’s total of seven gold medals.
- Archery Milestone: Harvinder Singh became India’s first-ever archery champion in the Olympics or Paralympics, winning gold in the individual recurve event.
- Sumit Antil: He defended his title in the men’s javelin throw F64 event, achieving a record-breaking throw of 70.59 m, which he improved multiple times throughout the competition.
India concluded the Paris Paralympics in 18th place overall, marking a significant milestone in its sporting history and showcasing the immense talent and determination of its para-athletes.
