India’s Ajeet Singh and Sundar Singh Gurjar claimed the silver and bronze medals, respectively, in the men’s javelin throw F46 category at the Paris 2024 Paralympics on Tuesday.
Ajeet Singh, 30, secured the silver with his second-last attempt of the night, throwing an impressive 65.62m at the iconic Stade de France.
Sundar Singh Gurjar had been in second place after his fourth throw reached 64.96m, but he was overtaken when Ajeet Singh made his dramatic late surge.
Reflecting on his achievement, Ajeet Singh expressed satisfaction, saying, “I didn’t perform well in the Tokyo 2020 Paralympics, so my focus this time was simply on winning a medal, regardless of its color.
I wasn’t aiming for gold, I just wanted a podium finish, and I am thrilled to have achieved that.” He added, “I was the world champion last year, but only managed bronze at the World Championships in Kobe this year.
My preparation was mainly focused on Paris 2024, so securing silver here means everything to me. There’s still room for improvement, but for now, I’m overjoyed with this result.”
Athletes in the F46 category have impairments affecting their arms or hands, such as above or below elbow amputations.
Ajeet Singh’s left arm was amputated below the elbow following a devastating train accident. Sundar Singh Gurjar, from Karauli in Rajasthan, lost his left hand in an accident and faced deep personal struggles afterward, even considering ending his life.
However, para sports offered him a new path and purpose. Sundar is also the world record holder in the F46 category, having set a mark of 68.60m during his gold medal-winning performance at the Asian Para Games.
He also won bronze at the Tokyo 2020 Paralympics with a 64.01m throw.
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