Rakesh Kumar’s Close Call at Paris Paralympics 2024
In a thrilling finish to the men’s Para Archery Individual Compound Open Bronze Medal match at the Paris Paralympics 2024, Rakesh Kumar narrowly missed out on the bronze medal. He finished just one point behind China’s He Zihao with a score of 146-147. Despite the close loss, Kumar’s fourth-place finish is the highest achievement by an Indian compound archer in Paralympic history.
Earlier in the competition, Kumar defeated World No. 2 Ken Swagumilang of Indonesia in the round of 16 and went on to beat Canada’s Kyle Tremblay in the quarterfinals. However, he fell short in the semifinals against China’s Ai Xinliang.
India has secured a total of seven medals at the ongoing Paris Paralympics so far, with one gold, two silvers, and four bronzes. On Monday, Nishad Kumar won silver in the men’s high jump T47. On Sunday, Indian parasprinter Preeti Pal clinched the bronze medal in the 200m T-35 with a time of 30.01 seconds, making her the first-ever Indian woman athlete to win two medals in track & field events at the Paralympics or Olympics. Earlier, Preeti secured third place in the T35 100m race with a personal best time of 14.21 seconds.
On Saturday, Rubina finished third and bagged a bronze medal in the P2-Women’s 10M Air Pistol SH-1 final with a total of 211.1 points. On Friday, reigning Paralympic champion Avani Lekhara struck gold in the women’s 10m air rifle final, securing the top place with 249.7 points, her personal best. Shooter Mona Agarwal also won bronze in the same event. Manish Narwal earned a silver medal in the men’s P1 10m air pistol SH1 competition.
This year, India has sent its largest Paralympics contingent ever, comprising 84 athletes across 12 sports. India’s participation in the Paris 2024 Paralympics marks a significant increase in numbers and medal hopes, aiming to surpass its previous achievements in Tokyo, where India won 19 medals, including five golds, eight silvers, and six bronzes.
Doubts Revealed
Rakesh Kumar -: Rakesh Kumar is an Indian athlete who competes in Para Archery, which is archery for people with physical disabilities.
Paris Paralympics 2024 -: The Paris Paralympics 2024 is a major international sports event where athletes with disabilities from around the world compete in various sports. It will be held in Paris, France.
Para Archery -: Para Archery is a sport where athletes with physical disabilities use bows and arrows to hit targets. It is similar to regular archery but adapted for people with disabilities.
Individual Compound Open -: In Para Archery, ‘Individual Compound Open’ is a category where athletes use a type of bow called a compound bow, and it is open to athletes with different types of physical disabilities.
He Zihao -: He Zihao is an athlete from China who competes in Para Archery. He won the bronze medal in the event where Rakesh Kumar competed.
Avani Lekhara -: Avani Lekhara is an Indian athlete who competes in shooting. She won a gold medal at the Paris Paralympics 2024.
Nishad Kumar -: Nishad Kumar is an Indian athlete who competes in high jump. He won a silver medal at the Paris Paralympics 2024.
Paralympics contingent -: A Paralympics contingent is a group of athletes and support staff that a country sends to compete in the Paralympic Games. This year, India sent its largest group ever, with 84 athletes.