Three years after making history as the first Indian to win an archery medal at the Tokyo 2020 Paralympics, Harvinder Singh went on to claim India’s first-ever Paralympic gold in archery at the Paris 2024 Games on Wednesday.
Competing in the men’s individual recurve open event at the historic Invalides, Harvinder secured a dominant 6-0 victory against Poland’s Lukasz Ciszek in a one-sided final to earn the gold.
Reflecting on his achievement, Harvinder shared, “It’s an amazing feeling because this has been a dream since I started archery 12 years ago.
I kept my emotions in check, stayed focused on my technique, and this gold medal is the result.”
The 33-year-old para-archer began the final with confidence, securing the first set 28-24 to earn two crucial points.
Ciszek was competitive in the second set, consistently scoring nines with his arrows, but Harvinder delivered a perfect 10 on his third shot, taking a 4-0 lead.
Sensing victory, Harvinder opened the third set with two 10s, while Ciszek faltered with a seven, failing to mount a comeback. Harvinder’s precision and calm under pressure sealed the gold medal in emphatic fashion.
Athletes in the recurve open category, like Harvinder, may have impairments in their legs, using a wheelchair or maintaining balance by standing or resting on a stool. Harvinder’s journey has been one of resilience.
At just over a year old, he contracted dengue, and the treatment he received led to the loss of function in his legs. Despite these challenges, he has emerged as a world-class athlete in archery.
Harvinder’s triumph at Paris 2024 was marked by consistency, with all five of his wins achieved by a margin of at least four set points.
He began his campaign with a 7-3 victory over Tseng Lung-Hui of Chinese Taipei in the round of 32, followed by back-to-back 6-2 wins against Indonesia’s Setiawan and Colombia’s Hector Julio Ramirez.
In the semi-finals, he overcame Iran’s Mohammad Reza 7-3, setting up his gold medal showdown with Ciszek.
Harvinder’s victory added to India’s growing medal tally at the Paris 2024 Paralympics.
Earlier in the week, Sheetal Devi and Rakesh Kumar had secured a bronze in the mixed compound open event, marking another milestone for Indian archery at the Games.
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