New Delhi [India]: Ahead of the Paris Paralympics, the head coach of India’s para-athletics team Satyanarayana hoped that they would bring home 10 medals, including at least five golds at the mega event.
At the Tokyo 2020 Paralympics, India sent 54 athletes, which included 14 women. At the Paris Paralympics, however, that number has grown to 84 overall, with 32 women. The contingent is India’s largest ever sent to the Paralympic Games.
The Paralympics 2024 will kick off from August 28 and conclude on September 8.
Speaking about the team’s goals, Satyanarayana remarked his team’s focus will be to win gold.
“In Tokyo, many of our athletes secured silver and bronze medals. Our focus this time is to convert those into gold. The training has been intense, and our athletes have shown incredible dedication. Most of them have already reached Paris to acclimatize to the conditions and continue their rigorous training,” Satyanarayana was quoted in a release from the Paralympic Committee of India (PCI) as saying.
The Para Athletics events will take place from August 30 to September 8 at the iconic Stade de France.
The athletes expected to clinch gold for India include Sumit Antil (Men’s Javelin F64), Mariyappan Thangavelu (Men’s High Jump T42), Deepthi Jeevanji (Women’s 400m T20), Sachin Khilari (Men’s Shot Put F46), Ekta Bhyan (Women’s Club Throw F52) and Simran Sharma (Women’s 200m T12).
India will compete in three new sports–para-cycling, para-rowing and blind judo–at the Paris Paralympics, extending the country’s participation to 12 sports. Overall, 22 sports will be held in Paris in 2024.
Tokyo 2020 was India’s most successful Paralympic Games, with the country winning 19 medals, including five golds, eight silver and six bronzes.