Navdeep Singh may be short in height but turned out to be tall in stature as he sealed India’s seventh gold medal as the Asian nation finished with a rich haul of 29 medals from the Paralympics in Paris and Chateauroux. If there was drama and excitement needed at the Stade de France in Paris on Saturday night, Navdeep and Iran’s Sadegh Beit Sayah provided it. The Indian, competing in the F41 category, which is for “short athletes” did well to come up with a 47.32 metres effort with the javelin. It was initially silver but Sayah’s 47.64 metres, a Paralympic record, was disqualified as he came out with a controversial flag which was not acceptable. Even as the Iranian media is screaming they have been robbed off a medal, for India to scale great heights has been very defining.
Back to Navdeep, from Panipat. At 23, he had fired himself up on the big stage of an important night before the curtains came down on the Paralympics. As one who had finished fourth in the Tokyo Paralympics in 2021, Navdeep has been training hard at the Sports Authority of India camps in Bengaluru and Gandhinagar, Gujarat. He has shown a large heart to seal India’s campaign in style. And if anyone thinks his gold was “lucky”, they don’t know sports.
It is very clear, in the international sporting arenas, there is no room for controversy of any sport. Just to jog the readers’ memory, last year, just as the Asian Games was coming to a close in Hangzhou, the infamous attack on Israel by Hamas terrorists on October 7 led to the death of 1,200 Israelis on the Gaza Strip. Since then, the Israel-Palestine war has escalated. The world today faces enormous crises and for any athlete to wave a flag other than the national flag is a sign that the image of sports is being sullied. No, it will not be allowed is the message from the organisers of the Paralympics. After all, Russia versus Ukraine still is making news for all the wrong reasons.
For the Latest Sports News: Click Here
Back to the performance of the Indians in the Paralympics; it has been high energy and absorbing. For those who wondered what all pain and efforts Para athletes undergo to produce performances, images over the last fortnight have been defining. Imagine, before the Indian contingent left for Paris, Paralympic Committee of India President, Devendra Jhajharia spoke to the media, and predicted at least 25 medals. Some said it was hype. You have to pardon the ignorant, since Jhajharia has been an active Para athlete for well over 25 years. He could have, in fact, even competed in Paris but then took on an important role as the PCI body, which runs Para sports in India. That Jhajharia also was a master of the javelin in his category and Navdeep Singh also sealed India’s last gold medal shows India romances this particular event in field events. Of course, not to forget the master – Neeraj Chopra – who won a gold and silver medal respectively from the Tokyo and Paris Olympics.
Rewind to what India has achieved in these Paralympics, what has stood out is large-hearted performances across a gamut of disciplines. Athletics, archery, badminton, shooting and many more disciplines, the way India’s Para athletes showed ‘josh’ is going to inspire so many more athletes. This should lead to a kind of revolution among the Indians who will now take up sport even if they have some kind of a problem with their hand or leg. Stories of India’s success at the Paris Paralympics have been emotionally captured by RevSportz and serves as a treasure trove for those who want to revisit the wow moments.
Then again, when you hear and read stories of Yogesh Kathuniya, Sheetal Devi and Mariyappan Thangavelu fight adversity and showcase their skills and strength, it’s all about will and skill. The reception to some athletes who have already returned to India has been so beautiful. And when the entire team lands, so many more stories will be narrated. The annual national sports awards are up for grabs and whoever is going to sit on the committee will have a hard time deciding on the names. After all, six medals won in the Paris 2024 Olympics also need to be factored. Yes, the pessimists will still say India is not a sporting nation. That is, if you have not watched the herculean efforts from India’s Para athletes.
Also Read: Triumph in Chaos, Navdeep’s Gold Finishes off in Style for India