India at the 2016 Summer Paralympics

India at the
2016 Summer Paralympics
IPC codeIND
NPCParalympic Committee of India
Websitewww.paralympicindia.org.in
in Rio de Janeiro
Competitors19 in 5 sports
Flag bearers Devendra Jhajharia (opening)
Mariyappan Thangavelu (closing)
Medals
Ranked 43rd
Gold
2
Silver
1
Bronze
1
Total
4
Summer Paralympics appearances (overview)

India competed at the 2016 Summer Paralympics in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, from 7 to 18 September 2016. The nation made its official debut at the 1968 Summer Paralympics and has appeared in every edition of the Summer Paralympics since 1984. This is India's 11th appearance at the Summer Paralympics.

India sent its largest ever delegation for the Summer Paralympic Games consisting of 19 athletes competing across five sports. Devendra Jhajharia was the flag bearer during the opening ceremony and Mariyappan Thangavelu carried the Indian flag during the closing ceremony. The Games also marked India's best ever performance at the Paralympics till then with four medals including one gold, one silver and two bronze medals.

Background

The Paralympic Committee of India (PCI) was formed in 1994, five years after the International Paralympic Committee (IPC) was established in 1989.[1] The ninth International Stoke Mandville Games was later designated as the first Paralympics in 1960. The International Stoke Mandeville Games Federation organized the Paralympic Games till 1984. The 1988 Seoul Paralympics was the first to use the Paralympics name and the event has been held in the same host city as the corresponding Summer Olympic Games since then.[2]

The nation made its Paralympics debut in 1968 and have appeared in every edition of the Summer Paralympic Games since 1984. This edition of the Games marked the nation's 11th appearance at the Summer Paralympics.[3][4] Devendra Jhajharia was the flag bearer during the opening ceremony and Mariyappan Thangavelu carried the Indian flag during the closing ceremony.

Disability classification

Main article: Disability sport classification

Every participant at the Paralympics has their disability grouped into one of five disability categories; amputation, the condition may be congenital or sustained through injury or illness; cerebral palsy; wheelchair athletes, there is often overlap between this and other categories; visual impairment, including blindness; Les autres, any physical disability that does not fall strictly under one of the other categories, for example dwarfism or multiple sclerosis.[5][6]

Each Paralympic sport then has its own classifications, dependent upon the specific physical demands of competition. Events are given a code, made of numbers and letters, describing the type of event and classification of the athletes competing. Some sports, such as athletics, divide athletes by both the category and severity of their disabilities, other sports, for example swimming, group competitors from different categories together, the only separation being based on the severity of the disability.[7]

Medallists

The medal winners with the Indian Prime Minister: (left to right) Mariyappan Thangavelu, Deepa Malik, Narendra Modi, Devendra Jhajharia, Varun Bhati

The Games also marked India's best ever performance at the Paralympics till then with four medals including one gold, one silver and two bronze medals. Mariyappan Thangavelu won the first gold medal in the Men's high jump T42 event. Devendra Jhajharia won the other gold medal in the Men's javelin throw F46 event, breaking the World Record in the process.[4][8] Deepa Malik and Varun Bhati were the other medalists with a silver and bronze medal respectively.[4]

Medalists[4]
Medal Name Sport Event Date
Gold Mariyappan Thangavelu Athletics Men's High Jump T42 9 September
Gold Devendra Jhajharia Athletics Men's Javelin Throw F46 14 September
Silver Deepa Malik Athletics Women's Shot Put- F53 12 September
Bronze Varun Bhati Athletics Men's High Jump T42 9 September

Competitors

India sent its largest ever delegation for the Summer Paralympic Games consisting of 19 athletes competing across five sports.[9]

The Indian contingent with Prime Minister Narendra Modi
Sport Men Women Total Events
Archery 0 1 1 1
Athletics 13 2 15 11
Powerlifting 1 0 1 1
Swimming 1 0 1 1
Shooting 1 0 1 1
Total 16 3 19 15

Archery

Main article: Archery at the 2016 Summer Paralympics

India achievied one berth in Women's individual recurve archery event after Pooja Khanna secured fifth-place finish in the final Paralympic qualifier held in Czechia and became first Indian para archer to qualify for the Paralympic Games.[9][10]

Athlete Event Ranking round Round of 32 Round of 16 Quarterfinals Semifinals Finals
Score Seed Opposition
score 		Opposition
score 		Opposition
score 		Opposition
score 		Opposition
score 		Rank
Pooja Khanna Women's recurve individual 513 29  Olszewska (POL)
L 2–6 		Did Not Advance

Athletics

Main article: Athletics at the 2016 Summer Paralympics

About 15 Indian athletes achieved the qualifying standard for the Games.[9]

Track events
Athlete Event Heat Final
Result Rank Result Rank
Ankur Dhama Men's 1500 m T11[11] 4:37:60 2 Did Not Advance
Field events
Athlete Events Result Rank
Mariyappan Thangavelu Men's high jump T42[12] 1.89 1st place, gold medalist(s)
Varun Singh Bhati 1.86 PB 3rd place, bronze medalist(s)
Sharad Kumar 1.77 6
Ram Pal Chahar Men's high jump T47[13] 1.93 PB 6
Devendra Jhajharia Men's javelin throw F46[14] 63.97 WR 1st place, gold medalist(s)
Sundar Singh Gurjar DNS
Rinku Hooda 54.39 PB 5
Ranbir Narender Men's javelin throw F42-44[15] 53.79 PB 6
Sandeep Chaudhary 54.30 PB 4
Virender Dhankar Men's javelin throw F57[16] 35.73 9
Men's shot put F57[17] 11.62 8
Amit Kumar Saroha Men's discus throw F51/52[18] 9.01 7
Men's club throw F51[19] 26.63 4
Dharambir 21.39 9
Deepa Malik Women's shot put F53[20] 4.61 PB 2nd place, silver medalist(s)
Karamjyoti Dalal Women's discus throw F55[21] NM

Powerlifting

Main article: Powerlifting at the 2016 Summer Paralympics
Farman Basha was the lone Indian competitor in Power lifting competitions.

India has one berth in the men's event after Farman Basha secured a place in the World Ranking list as of 29 February 2016.[9]

Athlete Event Weight lifted (kg) Rank
Farman Basha Men's 49 kg[22] 140 4

Shooting

Main article: Shooting at the 2016 Summer Paralympics

Naresh Sharma earned a qualifying berth for India in the last Paralympic qualifier event held at the 2015 IPC Shooting World Cup in Fort Benning, United States.[23][24]

Athlete Event Qualification Final
Score Rank Score Rank
Naresh Sharma Men's 10m air rifle standing SH1[25] 583.0 21 Did not advance
Mixed 10m air rifle prone SH1[26] 606.5 44
Men's 50m rifle 3 positions SH1[27] 1094 22
Mixed 50m rifle prone SH1[28] 591.0 40

Swimming

Main article: Swimming at the 2016 Summer Paralympics

Indian swimmer Suyash Jadhav achieved the 'A' qualifying mark in the finals of Men's 50m Butterfly S7 event at the International Wheelchair and Amputee Sports World Games 2015.[9][29]

Athlete Event Heat Final
Time Rank Time Rank
Suyash Jadhav Men's 50 m freestyle S7[30] 31.58 5 Did not advance
Men's 50m butterfly S7[31] 33.63 5
Men's 200m Individual Medley- SM7[32] 3:01:05 6

See also

References

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