Hokato Hotozhe Sema Wins Bronze in Shot Put at Paris Paralympics
Paris, France – Hokato Hotozhe Sema, a para-athlete from India, secured a bronze medal in the men’s shot put F57 final at the ongoing para multi-sport event in Paris. His coach, Rakesh Singh Rawat, praised his performance, noting that Hokato gave his best effort, resulting in a personal best throw of 14.65 meters.
In the competition, Iran’s Yashin Khosravi won the gold medal with a throw of 15.96 meters, while Thiago Paulino dos Santos from Brazil took the silver with a throw of 15.06 meters.
Hokato’s Journey
Hokato expressed his gratitude to the PCI, Indian Army, OGQ India, and Khelo India for their support. He shared his story of losing his leg in a landmine explosion in 2014 while posted in Jammu and Kashmir. Despite this setback, he found motivation from other soldiers with amputated limbs and began training for the Paralympics in 2016.
Hokato emphasized the importance of turning disabilities into strengths, a lesson he learned from the Indian Army. His coach, Rakesh Singh Rawat, highlighted Hokato’s dedication and excellent performance in practice sessions, which led to his success in the final.
Other Indian Achievements
Indian para-athlete Bhavanaben Chaudhary finished fifth in the women’s F46 javelin throw final with a best throw of 39.70 meters. Additionally, Nagaland Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio announced a reward of Rs. 1.5 Crore for Hokato Hotozhe Sema in recognition of his achievement.
India’s medal tally at the ongoing Paralympics has reached 27, including six gold, nine silver, and 12 bronze medals. This marks the highest number of gold medals India has ever won at a Paralympics event, surpassing the five golds won in Tokyo 2020.
Doubts Revealed
Hokato Hotozhe Sema -: Hokato Hotozhe Sema is an athlete from India who competes in sports events for people with disabilities.
Bronze -: Bronze is a type of medal given to the person who finishes third in a competition.
Shot Put -: Shot put is a sport where athletes throw a heavy ball as far as they can.
Paris Paralympics -: The Paris Paralympics is a big sports event held in Paris for athletes with disabilities.
Para-athlete -: A para-athlete is a person who competes in sports events for people with disabilities.
F57 -: F57 is a category in para-athletics for athletes with certain types of physical disabilities.
Personal best -: A personal best is the best performance an athlete has ever achieved in their career.
Landmine explosion -: A landmine explosion is when a hidden bomb in the ground goes off, which can cause serious injuries.
Nagaland -: Nagaland is a state in the northeastern part of India.
Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio -: Neiphiu Rio is the leader of the government in the state of Nagaland.
Rs. 1.5 Crore -: Rs. 1.5 Crore is a large amount of money in Indian currency, equal to 15 million rupees.
Medal tally -: A medal tally is the total number of medals won by a country in a sports event.