Tokyo Paralympics, athletics: Yogesh Kathuniya wins silver in men’s discus throw F56

Yogesh Kathuniya won silver in the men’s discus throw F56 event (seated) at the Tokyo Paralympics, adding a fifth medal to India’s tally.

The 24-year-old threw a best distance of 44.38m in his sixth and last attempt to finish second. He is the He is world No 2 in the event with a personal best of 44.47m.

Brazil’s Claudiney Batista dos Santos, the defending Paralympic and reigning world champion as well as the world record holder, won the gold with a best throw of 45.59m while Leonardo Diaz Aldana (43.36m) of Cuba took the bronze.

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In F56 classification, athletes have full arm and trunk muscle power. Pelvic stability is provided by some to full ability to press the knees together. (More details below)

Son of an Army man, Kathuniya suffered a paralytic attack at the age of eight which left him with coordination impairments in his limbs.

A B.Com graduate from New Delhi’s Kirorimal College, it was during his time at the KMC that his potential was noticed by several coaches and he soon came under the tutelage of Satyapal Singh at the Jawaharlal Nehuru Stadium. A few years later, he came under the guidance of coach Naval Singh.

He created a world record in F36 category in his first ever international competition in 2018 at the Para-athletics Grand Prix in Berlin. He won a bronze medal in the 2019 World Para Athletics Championships in Dubai with a best throw of 42.51m which also booked him a Tokyo berth.

On Sunday, India had picked up a silver (high jump) and a bronze (discus throw), which is on hold due to a protest. India already has four medals on Monday morning.

Classification: In the 50s sport classes, all athletes compete in a seated position, either in wheelchair or on a throwing chair, due to impaired muscle power, restricted range of movement, limb deficiency or leg length difference. A lower number indicates a higher activity limitation. Throughout the sport classes F55-57 the trunk and leg function increases, which is an advantage in throwing events. An athlete in the F55 class has partial to full abdominal muscle activity, but no leg function. Athletes in class F56 can partially bend their hips and legs in addition to having trunk function, while athletes in class F57 demonstrate the additional ability to extend and abduct the hips. Athletes in class F57 may be able to stand and walk with or without an assistive device, but have to at the very least comply with the defined minimum impairment criteria.

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With PTI Inputs