New Delhi: Indian para shot-putter Hokato Sema claimed bronze medal in the men’s F57 category final at the ongoing Paralympic Games at the Stade de France in the French Capital on Friday (September 6).
A landmine blast survivor, Hokato Sema produced his career-best throw of 14.65m to finish third in the 12-men event. The Dimapur-born Army man’s bronze medal has extended India’s medal tally to 27 in the 19th edition of the Paralympics.
Making his Paralympics debut at the age of 40, the Nagaland para athlete didn’t saw a decent start in the final. He recorded a mediocre throw of 13.88m before witnessing an upward trajectory in his next three throws, all of them marked either at 14 or above.
It was the fourth attempt of 14.65m which not only bettered the 14m and 14.40m in the previous two attempts but also turned out to be the third best throw of the night for Hokato Sema, who is the only athlete from Nagaland in the 84-member Indian athlete contingent.
Yasin Khosravi takes gold with Paralympic record throw
Yasin Khosravi of Iran clinched the gold medal with an outstanding effort of 15.96m while Brazilian Thiago Paulino dos Santos took the silver home with a distance of 15.06m. Yasin set the Paralympic record in his fourth attempt, bettering the 15m throw of China’s WU Guoshan achieved in Tokyo three years ago to clinch the gold medal.
Som Rana, another Indian in the final of men’s shot put F57, finished fifth with his best throw of 14.07 and was sanctioned with a yellow card with the exact reasons unknown.
F57 category is for field athletes with movement affected to a low degree in one leg, moderately in both feet or the absence of limbs. These athletes have to compensate for significant asymmetry in power from the legs but have full upper body power.
Hokato Sema survives landmine blast
Hokato Sema lost his left leg in a landmine blast while taking part in an anti-terrorist operation in Jammu & Kashmir’s Chowkibal in 2002. He was encouraged by a senior army official at the Pune-based Artificial Limb Centre to take up shot put after seeing his fitness. The Nagaland athlete took up the sport in 2016 at the age of 32 and was soon competing in the National Para Athletics Championships in Jaipur the same year.
Sema also claimed bronze medal at the Asian Para Games in Hangzhou, China, last year with the best effort of 13.94m.
(With inputs from PTI)
Hokato Sema lost his left leg in a landmine blast while taking part in an anti-terrorist operation in Jammu & Kashmir’s Chowkibal in 2002. He claimed bronze medal in the men’s F57 category in the Paris Paralympics. Other Sports Sports News: Latest Cricket News, Cricket Live Score, Sports Breaking News from Sports Today
