For the first time in para-athletics, India had a historic one-two finish when Dharambir and Pranav Soorma won the men’s club throw F51 at the Paris Paralympics 2024. This was a historic win for India as this was the first ever 1-2 finish in any track and field event in Paralympics which shows the growth of para-sports in India.
In the Stade de France, the 35-year-old Dharambir from Sonipat, Haryana won the gold medal in the event with a record 34.92 meters and broke the Asian record in the process. His win was even more impressive if one considers that he had four fouls before he attempted the fifth throw. This double win not only highlighted India’s supremacy in the particular event but also created history in the Paralympics for the country.
The journey of Dharambir to the top is one of the best examples of hard work and perseverance. He first got involved in para-sports in 2014 after a life-changing accident in his village that rendered him paralysed from the waist down. Guided by the Indian Paralympian Amit Kumar Saroha, Dharambir switched from discus throw to club throw, practicing 3 hours a day in the SAI centers in Sonipat. These athletes participate in F51 category which is intended for persons who have reduced muscle power or limited range of movements in trunk, legs and hands.
Players in this category rely on their shoulders and arms to create force while they sit. India’s total medal tally at the Paris Paralympics 2024 now stands at 24 as they include five gold medals, nine silver medals and 10 bronze medals. This performance is even better than the 19 medals the country won in the Tokyo Paralympics in 2020. Dharambir and Pranav Soorma’s success is a ray of light for the Indian para-athletes and an indication of India’s increasing acceptance of Para sports.
