New Delhi: India aim to win 10 medals including five gold in athletics at Paris Paralympics that begins on Wednesday, said para athletics head coach Satyanarayana on Wednesday.
India had claimed eight medals including one gold, five silver and two bronze at Tokyo Paralympics three years ago and Satyanarayana said he is confident that they can improve on that haul in Paris.
“In Tokyo, many of our athletes secured silver and bronze medals. Our focus this time is to convert those into gold,” Satyanarayana said in a statement.
India have sent 84 athletes – 52 men and 32 women – at Paris. They have been accompanied by 95 offcials making it India’s largets ever contingent at Paralympics.
After intense training undergone for Paris Paralymlics, the athletes are in good shape and are primed to excel when the action starts, Satyanarayana said.
“The training has been intense, and our athletes have shown incredible dedication. Most of them have already reached Paris to acclimatise to the conditions and continue their rigorous training,” he added.
Among the participating athletes, expected medal contenders are defendung champion men’s javelin thrower Sumit Antil (F64 cayegory), men’s high jumper Mariyappan Thangavelu (T42 category), women’s 400m runner Deepthi Jeevanji (T20 category), men’s shotput thrower Sachin Khilari (F46), women’s club thrower Ekta Bhyan (F52) and women’s 200m sprinter Simran Sharma (T12).
India claimed 19 medals (five gold, eight silver and six bronze) at Tokyo Paralympics in 2021, to finish 24th in the medals tally with a combined 19 medals making the Paralympic Committee of India confident of getting 25 medals at Paris.
India had claimed eight medals including one gold, five silver and two bronze at Tokyo Paralympics three years ago and Satyanarayana said he is confident that they can improve on that haul at Paris Paralympics. Other Sports Sports News: Latest Cricket News, Cricket Live Score, Sports Breaking News from Sports Today
