New Delhi: First batch of Indian athletes who will compete at the Paralympics left for host city Paris on Wednesday, well ahead of the scheduled start of the competition on August 30.
It included top javelin thrower Sumit Antil was among 16 other para-athletes who were sent much before to get accustomed to the conditions.
They will stay in Paris hotels for three days before the Games Village opens on August 25 and stays open till September 8, the closing day of the event.
The athletics of the Paralympics will be held at the Stade de France, where the track and field events of able-bodied athletes of Paris Olympics.
“Sumit Antil and some other para athletes will train at Nelson Mandela Sports Complex for a few days before entering the Games Village,” para-athletics head coach Satyanarayana was quoted as saying by PTI.
Located around 5km away from Stade de France, the Nelson Mandela Sports Complex provides training facilities for athletics, rugby, tennis, wheelchair tennis and swimming.
“Some will stay at hotels near the Games Village and they can use the training facilities there during day time,” he added.
Target 5 gold, dozen medals
Having decided to send its biggest ever contingent of 84 athletes competing in 12 disciplines, India have high hopes, with eye on five gold medals and a dozen podium finishes.
“This will be our best performance in the Paralympics,” Satyanarayana said.
India’s encouraging display at the World Para Athletics Championships in Kobe, Japan, three months ago has made the head coach confident.
India were sixth in the medal standings with six gold medals, five silver and six bronze.
At Tokyo Paralympics three years ago, India had claimed a record 19 medals (5 gold, 8 silver and 6 bronze).
The Paralympics Committee of India has chosen Antil and shot putter Bhagyashree Jadhav to be flag bearers at the opening ceremony that is set to be held outside a stadium for the first time, just as it happened for the Olympics, which was held in the banks of the Seine river.
Top javelin thrower Sumit Antil was among 16 other para-athletes who were sent much before to get accustomed to the conditions. Other Sports Sports News: Latest Cricket News, Cricket Live Score, Sports Breaking News from Sports Today
