Harvinder Singh made history at the 2024 Paris Paralympics adding to India’s record medal haul by clinching gold in the men’s recurve individual event on Wednesday.
A few hours later, Dharambir and Pranav Soorma secured a one-two finish for India in the men’s club throw F51 event.
With this victory, Singh became the first Indian archer to win gold and the first to win multiple Paralympic medals, having previously secured a bronze in the same category at the Tokyo Paralympics.
In the semi-final, Singh defeated Iran’s Mohammad Reza Arab Ameri setting up a final showdown against Poland’s Lukasz Ciszek.
He dominated the final match, winning all three sets for a commanding 6-0 scoreline.
Singh’s gold is India’s second para archery medal in the 2024 Paralympics, following the bronze of Sheetal Devi and Rakesh Kumar in the mixed compound event on Tuesday.
In the men’s club throw event, Dharambir struggled to find his rhythm at the beginning with four consecutive foul throws. His fifth and penultimate attempt however was a massive 34.92m throw which eventually earned him the top spot.
While it took Dharambir time to get settled, Soorma threw 34.59m in his first throw, which was enough for him to eventually clinch the silver.
Earlier in the day, Sachin Sarjerao Khilari opened India’s medal tally for the day with a silver in the men’s shot put F36 final.
Khilari, the reigning World Champion, shattered the Asian record on his way to securing silver as India’s track-and-field athletes continued to significantly contribute to what is shaping up to be the country’s best-ever performance at the Paralympics.
The 34-year-old Khilari achieved a remarkable throw of 16.32m on his second attempt, a distance bested only only by Canada’s Greg Stewart, who successfully defended his Tokyo Paralympics gold with a throw of 16.38m.
At the end of the day’s play, India’s tally grew to 24, with five gold, nine silver and 10 bronze.
Limited-time offer: Big stories, small price. Keep independent media alive. Become a Scroll member today!
Our journalism is for everyone. But you can get special privileges by buying an annual Scroll Membership. Sign up today!