The 2024 Paralympics can be the one where India creates history as it can for the first time in its history win more than 20 Medals at an Olympic or Paralympic Games. There are a total of 84 Indian athletes who will be a part of the Paralympics 2024. This is the highest number of athletes that India will send for a single Paralympics edition. The Games will start from 28th August 2024.
Let’s look at the Top 5 Medal Contenders for India at Paris Paralympics
1) Sumit Antil – Javelin Throw
Sumit Antil is the biggest medal hope for Ibdat the Paris Paralympics. He is the favorite to win the Gold Medal at the Games in the F64 Javelin Throw category. In the 2020 Tokyo Paralympics he broke his own World Record 3 times as he won the Gold Medal with a throw of 68.55M. At the 2022 Asian Para Games he threw a monster 73.29M to win the Gold Medal. That throw is still the best in the world. He will look to get near the 75M mark at Paris. Anything less than a Gold Medal will feel like he has underperformed.
2) Avani Lekhara – Shooting
The Golden Girl of Indian shooting Avani Lekhara will look to repeat her performance from the Tokyo Paralympics. She won a Gold Medal in the 10M Air Rifle Standing and Bronze Medal in the 50M Rifle 3 Positions. She was the first Indian woman to win a Gold Medal in Paralympics history. Avani Lekhara is the number 1 in the world and she will look to win medals in all the 3 events she will be participating in the Paris Paralympics. Avani Lekhara has the Paralympics record with a score of 249.6 points in the 10M Air Rifle event.
3) Krishna Nagar – Badminton
Krishna Nagar has already won the Gold Medal at the Tokyo Paralympics. He plays the sport of Badminton and he was the world number 2 at a point. He has won the Gold Medal at the 2024 World Championships. His form is exceptional coming into the Paris Paralympics. Krishna Nagar was awarded the Major Dhyan Chand Khel Ratna Award in 2021 after his spectacular performance in the Paralympics. Krishna Nagar will hope to go back to back.
4) Sheetal Devi – Archery
One of the youngest members of the Indian contingent at Paris Paralympics Sheetal Devi will be one of the biggest medal contenders for India. She has won 2 Gold Medals at the 2022 Asian Para Games and a Silver Medal as well. This will be her first Paralympics and she will participate in 2 events for India. They are the Women’s Individual Compound Open and the Mixed Team Compound Open. In 2023, Sheetal Devi was awarded the Arjuna Award.
5) Bhavina Patel – Table Tennis
Bhavina Patel will be one of the most experienced members of the Indian contingent at the Paris Paralympics. She has won the Silver Medal at the Tokyo Paralympics. She will look to win the Gold Medal in Paris. She has been winning medals for India since 2011. She won the Silver Medal at the Thailand Open. And at the 2022 Commonwealth Games she won the Gold Medal. She will be taking part in the Women’s Singles and the Women’s Doubles events in the Paris Paralympics.
