Page 40 - TIE 082721

SPORTS AUGUST 27, 2021 | The Indian Eye 40

paralympiCS 2020 in toKyo

indian athletes expected to make a

good haul of medals in Japan

Bhavinaben Patel creates history by becoming the first Indian to enter the semi-finals of the

Table Tennis competition and assured India a medal

Our Bureau ing, financial assistance for coaches, physios

Tokyo & masseurs along with financial assistance
to procure prosthesis, electric wheelchairs,
onsisting some of India’s top med- and sports specific equipment. Many of the
al hopefuls for the Paralympics, In- athletes such as T. Mariyappan, Ekta Bhyan,
Cdia’s athletics team has sent a strong Varun Bhati, and Amit Saroha have been
contingent of 24 para-athletes to Tokyo this employed by SAI as coaches or assistant
year. The list includes the Rio -- Paralym- coaches to help train the next generation of
pics Gold medallist Thangavelu Mariyap- para-athletes.
pan, who won the precious medal in Men’s India’s representation in the athletics
High Jump in the T42 category. events of the Tokyo Paralympics will begin
Though Mariyappan had missed the Paralympics contingent on arrival at Tokyo on Friday and conclude on September 4.
Opening Ceremony after coming in close airport (ANI) Meanwhile, Deepa Malik, the President
contact with a COVID 19 patient, he has of the Paralympic Committee of India (PCI)
been cleared to compete by the organising on Friday said that paddler Bhavina Patel
committee as long as he tests negative for has worked really hard and she deserves all
the COVID-19 virus. Besides Mariyappan, the recognition that is coming along her way.
the athletics team also consists of India’s Bhavinaben Patel created history on Fri-
legendary javelin thrower Devendra, who day by becoming the first Indian to enter
currently holds the world record of F46 cat- the semi-finals of the Paralympic Games Ta-
egory to his name and is India’s first and ble Tennis competition and assured India a
only double gold medallist in the Paralym- medal. The 34-year-old Gujarat-based pad-
pic Games. dler defeated the defending champion and
India has fielded a strong contingent veteran Borislava Peric-Rankovic of Serbia
of eight javelin throwers including Jhajh- 11-5, 11-6, 11-7 in just 18 minutes in their
aria and all of them hold a strong position women’s singles quarterfinal Class 4 catego-
in the world rankings and would be aiming ry. “It has been an amazing day for the Indi-

to grab the prestigious medal at the Tokyo Paralympics bound contingent in a group photo an camp at the Tokyo Paralympics today. We
Paralympic Games. This includes Sandeep during the farewell dinner in New Delhi (ANI) are very happy with the performance of fe-
Chaudhary (F44 Category), Sumit Antil male athletes. Sakina in her weight category,
(F64 Category), Sundar Singh Gurjar (F46 and discus thrower Yogesh Kathuniya who she was ranked fifth. Great jubilation com-
Category), Ajeet Singh Yadav (F46 Catego- competes in the F56 category and had won ing from table tennis with Bhavina Patel se-
ry), Navdeep (F41 Category), and Ranjeet the Bronze Medal in World Para Athletics curing a medal position. We are not going to
Bhati (F57 Category). Championship, Dubai 2019. talk about the colour of the medal yet as she
India has also got a strong contention India has a strong history in the track and has her semi-final tomorrow. We really want
in Men’s High Jump, where besides Mari- field events of Paralympics having won 10 of that she gets a brighter colour,” Deepa said.
yappan, who will be aiming to get his 2nd their 12 medals in field events alone. Look- Earlier, Bhavina, who became the first
consecutive Paralympic gold medal, India ing at their past history in the Paralympics, Indian para-TT player to reach the pre-quar-
has Rio Bronze medallist Varun Singh Bha- the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports terfinals, beating Brazil’s Joyce de Oliveira
ti who will be aiming to change the colour established a professional set-up under the also in straight games. Bhavina will be in ac-
of his medal in the F42 Category, Sharad Target Olympic Podium Scheme (TOPS) in tion in the semi-finals at 6:10 am (IST) on
Kumar, who is currently ranked 2nd in the the Sports Authority of India (SAI) for the Saturday. On Friday, India’s Sakina Khatun
world (F42 category), World number 3 management of the para-athletes. The team finished fifth in the women’s 50 Kg power-
Praveen Kumar (T44 category), Nishad Ku- has a dedicated research wing and athlete lifting final in the ongoing Tokyo Paralym-
mar (T47 category) and Ram Pal Chahar relationship management personnel work- pics on Friday.
(T47 Category). ing with 55 para-athletes that are currently Sakina, who had won a bronze medal in
Two other names to watch out for in the part of the TOPS Core Group. Commonwealth Games, successfully lifted
throw events would be shot-putter Soman In this Olympic Cycle alone the TOPS 90 kg in her first attempt and was not able
Rana who competes in the F57 category athletes have been given government sup- to go above 90 kg. As a result, the Indian
and is currently ranked 2nd in the World port such as foreign exposure trips for train- para-powerlifter missed out on a medal.

www.TheIndianEYE .com