After making the country proud in Tokyo Olympics 2020, Indian athletes are now leaving no stone unturned to prove their mettle in the ongoing Tokyo Paralympics. Here's a list of Indian medalists at Tokyo Paralympics who have broken stereotypical shackles to fulfil their dreams.
- Bhavina Patel
Indian Para athlete Bhavina Hasmukhbhai Patel scripted history by becoming the first Indian to pick a silver medal in the finals of Paralympics. She defeated China Zhou Ying in the finals of Women’s Singles Class 4. This Gujarati player has made a name for herself in wheelchair table tennis. She has been playing table tennis since she was 17. In an interview, she mentioned that she belongs to a humble background.
Her father runs a a small store for daily needs. Coached by Lalan Doshi, the 34-year-old player Bhavinaben Patel is currently the world no 12 player. She was also the first Indian paddler to reach the finals of Paralympics. Read more about it here.
2. Avani Lekhara
She clinched India's first gold medal at at the ongoing Tokyo Paralympic Games. The young shooter finished with a Paralympic Record and equalled the world record with a score of 249.6 points in the final event. She had injured her spinal cord in a car accident in 2012. Since then, she has been confined to a wheelchair. Inspired by former Olympic champion Abhinav Bindra, she took up shooting in 2015 and has won various medals at both national and international level.
For instance, she won her first state medal using a rifle borrowed from her coach and bagged consecutive gold medals at the National Shooting Championship in 2015 and 2016. She also went on to clinch a silver medal at the IPC Para Shooting World Cup in Dubai in 2017. Read more about her victory here.
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