Paralympics: On Wednesday in Paris, India’s Dharambir and Pranav Soorma took home the gold and silver medals in the men’s club throw competition. India reached a total of 24 medals in the four-year competition. In para-athletics, it was India’s first-ever 1-2 result at the Games.
At the Paralympics 2024, Dharambir of India took home the gold medal in the men’s club throw F51 competition. With the best throw of 34.92 meters on Wednesday, September 4 at the Stade de France – Seat DT/Club, Dharambir broke the Asian record and took first place. Another Indian, Pranav Soorma, won the silver medal in the event with the best effort of 34.59 meters.
At the Paralympics on Wednesday, India made history by taking home the first-ever 1-2 podium finish in a track and field competition. Dharambir’s gold medal was also the first ever won by India in the club throw category of the quadrennial athletic competition.
Dharambir, 35, won the gold medal for India on a magnificent evening in the field by surpassing his performance from the Tokyo Paralympics in 2021 by almost 10 meters. Shortly after Harvinder Singh became the first-ever Paralympic gold medallist for India in archery, the team suffered a 1-2 defeat.
Athletes with reduced muscle power or range of motion in their hands, trunk, and legs compete in the Paralympic F51 category. They utilize their arms and shoulders to produce power while competing while seated.
With a best attempt of 23.96, Amit Kumar, the other competitor from India, finished at the bottom and was unable to win a medal. At 34.18 meters, Serbian Zeljko Dimitrijevic secured the bronze medal with his best effort. The world record of 36.22 and the Paralympic record of 35.42 remained unbroken.
India now has five gold, nine silver, and ten bronze medals from the Paralympics 2024–24 thanks to Dharambir and Pranav’s podium finish. With Pranav’s gold, India also matched their three-year-old best gold-medal total from Tokyo, which was five.
Prior to making the 34.92-meter throw, Dharambir made four consecutive foul attempts, indicating a shaky start to the game. The Indian club thrower remained at the top of the standings in the 10-man field throughout the competition thanks to his outstanding performance.
On his first try, Pranav gave it his all and completed five throws over 33 meters.
DHARAMBIR’S SERIES: x, x, x, x, 34.92m, 31.59m
PRANAV’S SERIES: 34.59m, 34.19m, x, 34.50m, 33.90m, 33.70m
MORE ABOUT DHARAMBIR AND PRANAV
Dharambir, a native of Sonipat, Haryana, began competing in paraathletes in 2014. Under the guidance of Indian Paralympian Amit Kumar Saroha, he concentrated on the discus throw.
His life abruptly changed when he misjudged the depth of the water and dove into the rocks beneath a canal in his village. This tragic event severely changed the course of his life, leaving him paralyzed from the waist down. Dharambir’s discovery of para-sports in 2014 gave him access to new opportunities.
He trains for three hours every day at the Sports Authority of India (SAI) facilities in Sonipat, and the results of his unwavering work ethic are remarkable.
COMMERCE GRADUATE DOES INDIA PROUD
When a cement sheet fell on Pranav Soorma’s head when he was sixteen, it severely injured his spinal cord and rendered him paralyzed. This was a dramatic turn in his life. He was told by doctors that he would never walk again, and he was hospitalized for six months. Pranav needed a few years to accept the reality that he would always be accompanied by a wheelchair. However, he was able to make the most of his situation because of his unwavering spirit and will to never give up.
Pranav resorted to meditation in order to keep an optimistic mindset. Friends introduced him to para-sports while he was in the hospital, which ignited a new interest in him. Despite being unable to move around without assistance, he demonstrated exceptional academic achievement by scoring 91.2 percent on his 12th board exams. He went on to pursue a postgraduate degree in commerce at the esteemed Delhi School of Economics. Eventually, he was able to land a job at Bank of Baroda as an Assistant Manager.
