India has proudly named shot-put star Bhagyashree Jadhav and javelin sensation Sumit Antil as the nation’s flag bearers for the upcoming Paris Paralympics 2024 opening ceremony. These remarkable athletes will lead India’s largest-ever contingent of 84 athletes, a significant increase from the 54 who competed in Tokyo.
Bhagyashree Jadhav at the Paralympics
Hailing from Maharashtra, Bhagyashree Jadhav has consistently performed on the international stage. She won a silver medal in the shot put F34 category at the 2022 Asian Para Games and finished seventh at the Tokyo Paralympics. Jadhav’s journey in sports began in 2017, and she quickly made her mark with medals at various international events, including the Feja World Cup and World Para Athletics Games.
Javelin star para-athlete Sumit Antil is the reigning world record holder in the F64 category. He secured a gold medal at the 2020 Tokyo Paralympics with a world record throw of 68.55 meters. Antil continued his dominance with another gold at the 2023 World Para Athletics Championships and set a new world record of 73.29 meters at the 2022 Asian Para Games.
PARIS PARALYMPICS 2024
Sumit Antil and Bhagyashree Jadhav will be India's flagbearers at the Paralympics 👏👏#SumitAntil #BhagyashreeJadhav #Paralympics #ParalympicGames#Paris2024 pic.twitter.com/xtjVkwa4PG
— nnis Sports (@nnis_sports) August 16, 2024
This year, India’s Paralympic contingent will compete in three new sports: para-cycling, para-rowing, and blind judo, bringing the total to 12 sports. Notably, the number of female participants has more than doubled from 14 in Tokyo to 32 in Paris. After winning 19 medals in Tokyo, India aims to surpass that achievement in Paris, continuing its upward trajectory on the global Paralympic stage.
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