India’s Jyoti and Arshad Shaik Miss Finals at Para-Cycling Qualifiers, Avani Lekhara Wins Gold at Paris Paralympics
In a day of high expectations and fierce competition at the Para-Cycling qualifiers, India’s Jyoti and Arshad Shaik unfortunately fell short of advancing to the finals in their respective events.
Jyoti’s Performance
Jyoti, who has shown promise in her previous performances, finished 11th in the time trial round of the women’s C1-3 500m event. Despite her valiant effort, she clocked a time of 52.098 seconds, which was not enough to secure a spot in the finals.
Arshad Shaik’s Performance
In the men’s C1-3 1000m time trial, Arshad Shaik also faced a tough challenge, finishing in 17th place. Arshad completed the distance with a timing of 1:26:154, which, unfortunately, was not sufficient to qualify him for the final round. He will be back in action on September 4th, when he competes in the C2 individual time trial (Road) qualifying event.
Other Indian Achievements
On Friday, Avani Lekhara struck gold in the women’s 10m air rifle final at the Paris Paralympics. Shooter Mona Agarwal bagged the bronze medal at the same event. Meanwhile, Manish Narwal won silver in the men’s 10m air pistol SH1 pistol final event. Preeti Pal won bronze in the 100m T35 event at the Paris Paralympics, the Indian para sprinter Preeti Pal said that she couldn’t believe that she won the medal.
India’s Paralympics Journey
India started off the Paris Paralympics on a marvellous note after bagging two medals in the women’s 10m air rifle event. From the start of the final, the two Indians were in the top three places, eying for the gold. However, it was Avani who secured the top spot in the women’s 10m air rifle final event.
As the Paris Paralympics continue, India’s athletes remain focused and determined, with more events lined up in the coming days. This year, India has sent its largest Paralympics contingent ever, comprising 84 athletes across 12 sports, a testament to the country’s expanding para-sports ecosystem. India’s participation in the Paris 2024 Paralympics marks not only an increase in numbers but also in medal hopes, as the nation aims to surpass its previous achievements in Tokyo. Tokyo 2020 was India’s most successful Paralympic Games, with the country winning 19 medals, including five golds, eight silver and six bronzes. The Indian contingent continues to demonstrate their prowess and resilience at the Paris Paralympics 2024, with many athletes still in contention for medals.
Doubts Revealed
Para-Cycling -: Para-Cycling is a type of cycling for athletes with physical disabilities. They use special bikes or trikes to compete.
Qualifiers -: Qualifiers are competitions where athletes try to perform well enough to move on to the final rounds of a bigger event.
Paris Paralympics -: The Paris Paralympics is a big sports event for athletes with disabilities, held in Paris, France.
C1-3 -: C1-3 are categories in Para-Cycling based on the type and level of disability the athletes have.
500m time trial -: A 500m time trial is a race where cyclists try to cover 500 meters as fast as they can.
1000m time trial -: A 1000m time trial is a race where cyclists try to cover 1000 meters as fast as they can.
10m air rifle -: 10m air rifle is a shooting event where athletes aim at a target 10 meters away using an air rifle.
10m air pistol SH1 -: 10m air pistol SH1 is a shooting event for athletes with disabilities, where they shoot at a target 10 meters away using an air pistol.
100m T35 -: 100m T35 is a running race for athletes with coordination impairments, where they run 100 meters as fast as they can.