Harvinder Singh creates history, becomes first Indian archer to win Paralympic gold

Harvinder Singh, India's top archer, made history by securing India's first gold medal in archery at the Paris Paralympics 2024 on Wednesday, September 4th. In a remarkable display of skill and determination, Harvinder defeated Poland's Lukasz Ciszek in the men's individual recurve final with a score of 6-0, bringing home India's first-ever gold in archery at the Olympics or Paralympics.

! Absolutely brilliant from Harvinder Singh as he claims the gold medal following a victory over  Lukasz Ciszek in the final of the men's individual recurve open event. This is India's first Paralympic gold medal in archery and also… pic.twitter.com/XxtIuPZoxc

— Sportwalk Media (@sportwalkmedia) September 4, 2024

Earlier in the day, the bronze medalist from the 2020 Tokyo Para Games staged a sensational comeback from a 1-3 deficit to emerge victorious in the semi-final clash with a score of 7-3 against Iran's Mohammad Reza Arab Ameri. This achievement marked a significant milestone as Harvinder became the first Indian archer, regardless of gender, to reach the final of the Olympics or Paralympics.

Throughout the competition, the 33-year-old athlete showcased his exceptional talent by defeating Hector Julio Ramirez of Colombia in the quarter-finals, Setiawan Setiawan of Indonesia in the round of 16, and Tseng Lung-Hui of Chinese Taipei in the round of 32.

Harvinder's outstanding performance resulted in India securing its fourth gold medal and 22nd overall medal at the Paris Paralympics. This success propelled India to the 15th position in the medal table, underscoring the country's best-ever performance at the Paralympics with a record number of medals and a potential T20 finish.

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