Former PCI president Deepa Malik hopeful India will win more medals at Paris Paralympics

Paris [France], September 2 (ANI): Former Paralympic Committee of India (PCI) president Deepa Malik said that she is hopeful that India will win more medals at the ongoing Paris Paralympics.

India has secured a total of seven medals at the ongoing Paris Paralympics, with one gold medal, two silvers, and four bronze medals.

Deepa Malik said that the Indian contingent at Paris 2024 are performing well. She also expressed her happiness since “four of five medalists are women” at the marquee event.

“India is performing well and I am very happy as four of five medalists are women…Avani Lekhara has written history as she becomes the first Indian woman to win two gold medals at the Paralympics…I am hopeful that India will win more medals in the coming days…” Malik told ANI.

Preeti Pal clinched the bronze medal in the 200m T-35 race on Sunday. With this medal, Preeti created history as she became the first-ever Indian woman athlete to win 2 medals in the track & field events at the Paralympics, or Olympics.

Nishad Kumar clinched a silver medal in the men’s high jump – T47 final on early Monday morning. Nishad, who also finished second in Tokyo three years ago, achieved his season-best performance with a leap of 2.04 meters, earning him the silver.

Rubina finished third and bagged a bronze medal in the P2-Women’s 10M Air Pistol SH-1 final on Saturday. She gathered a total of 211.1 points in the final. Javanmardi Sareh of Iran finished with gold (236.8 points) and Turkey’s Ozgan Aysel went on to win the silver medal (231.1 points).

On Friday, reigning Paralympic champion, Avani Lekhara maintained her winning streak and struck gold in the women’s 10m air rifle final at the ongoing Paris Paralympics. Shooter Mona Agarwal bagged the bronze medal at the same event.

India’s first silver medal at the Paris Paralympics came in shooting as well, with Manish Narwal getting a silver in the men’s P1 10 m air pistol SH1 competition.

This year, India has sent its largest Paralympics contingent ever, comprising 84 athletes across 12 sports, a testament to the country’s expanding para-sports ecosystem. India’s participation in the Paris 2024 Paralympics marks not only a significant increase in numbers but also in medal hopes, as the nation aims to surpass its previous achievements in Tokyo.

Tokyo 2020 was India’s most successful Paralympic Games, with the country winning 19 medals, including five golds, eight silver and six bronzes.