8 medals in one day at Paris 2024: From Nitesh to Sumit, how India’s most successful day ever at the Paralympics panned out

Before Tokyo Paralympics, the most medals India had won at a single edition was four, which had happened twice. First, at the 1984 edition, then once more four in Rio de Janeiro in 2016. Then came the surge in Tokyo three years back. On August 30 in Tokyo alone, India won five medals, back then a record. One of those five was a gold medal for Sumit Antil in men’s javelin. Fast forward three years, on the day Sumit defended his gold medal in Paris, India won a total of eight medals as September 2, 2024 became the country’s single most successful day in the history of Paralympics.

Here’s how the historic day panned out:

Silver – Yogesh Kathuniya (Athletics)

India’s Yogesh Kathuniya clinches silver in discus throw. (Screengrab)

Yogesh kickstarted things in Men’s Discus Throw – F56 finishing second to retain his medal from three years back and entering the club of multiple medallists at the Paralympics from India. But, much like Nishad Kumar the previous night in high jump, Nishad he wasn’t a happy man. Despite a Season Best throw, Yogesh felt he had more left in him and a chance to push Brazil’s Claudiney Batista for a shot at gold.

Gold – Nitesh Kumar (Badminton)

Gold medallist Kumar Nitesh of India celebrates on the podium. (REUTERS/Jennifer Lorenzini)

Before Monday, Nitesh had not defeated Daniel Bethell in their nine past meetings. Despite being the top seed, Nitesh came in as an underdog but he found a way to get bast the Brit in the biggest match of his life. Nitesh beat Bethell 21-14 18-21 23-21 in an 80-minute thriller to win India’s second gold medal of the Paris Games. The win ensured the gold medal in Men’s Singles SL3 remained with India, despite the shock suspension of Tokyo champion Pramod Bhagat.

Silver – Thulasimathi Murugesan (Badminton)

Indian para-badminton player Thulasimathi Murugesan during her women’s singles SU5 badminton event match at the Paralympics 2024, in France. (PTI)

In Tokyo, all four of India’s Para Badminton medals were won by male shuttlers. But by reaching the final of Women’s Singles SU5, 22-year-old Thulasimathi had already ensured that won’t be the case in Paris. Her opponent in the final was Yang Qiu Xia, the reigning Paralympic and World Champion, and despite pushing her in some parts of the match, the Indian lost in straight games. It was however a historic silver.

Bronze: Manisha Ramadass (Badminton)

Bronze medallist Manisha Ramadass celebrates on the podium. (Reuters)

A few minutes before Thulasimathi’s silver, 19-year-old Manisha ensured India will have two shuttlers on the podium in Women’s Singles SU5 as she dominated her Danish opponent in straight games to clinch bronze. Manisha had lost against Thulasimathi in the semifinal.

Silver: Suhas Yathiraj (Badminton)

Silver medallist Suhas Lalinakere Yathiraj of India celebrates on the podium. (Reuters)

Suhas had recently taken over from Lucas Mazur as the World No 1 in Men’s Singles SL4. He had faced Mazur in the final at the Tokyo games, and it was an epic three-game battle. But on Monday, he couldn’t quite find a tame the beast that is Mazur, who was backed by a sensational home crowd. At times it felt, he was playing two players on the other side. But still, at 41, the IAS officer retained his silver from Tokyo. Suhas is the only Indian shuttler to win two Paralympics medals now.

Bronze: Rakesh Kumar | Sheetal Devi (Archery)

Know more about the condition which Sheetal Devi suffers from (Source: AP/PTI)

There were 22 years separating them in terms of age, but seated a few centimeters away from each other, Rakesh and Sheetal took us on a proper rollercoaster to clinch bronze medal in Mixed Team Compound Open. They were expected to be contenders, given their billing as top seeds but it was a semifinal heartbreak by the smallest of margins against Iran. But they recovered quickly to beat Italy in another thriller to ensure India’s first archery medal in Paris, after a series of heartbreaks across the Olympics and Paralympics.

Gold: Sumit Antil (Athletics)

Sumit Antil of India in action (Reuters)

Was there really any doubt? Men’s Javelin Throw – F64 has become the event to pencil in on the calendar at any major para athletics event these days because of the rise and rise of Sumit Antil. After grabbing headlines in Tokyo, with a series of World Record-breaking throws, Sumit came to Paris with the pressure of defending the gold and competing in front of a crowd, the likes hadn’t seen before. But as ever, Sumit started his first throw in fine fashion to smash his own Paralympic Record… then went on to do it again, with his second throw for a stunning 70.59. The silver medal went for a distance of 67.03, and Sumit had three throws farther than that.

Bronze: Nithya Sre Sumathy Sivan (Badminton)

Bronze medallist Nithya Sre Sumathy Sivan of India celebrates on the podium (Reuters)

Late in the night, after what seemed to be an interminable delay, there was one more medal to come that pushed India’s count for the day to 8. On paper, Nithya Sre was the underdog for this one against Rina Marlina of Indonesia in the Women’s Singles SH6 bronze medal match. But Nithya Sre got off to a racing start, and despite brief signs of a fightback from the Indonesian (who didn’t appear to be at her best physical fitness), the Indian stormed through in straight games. It also ensured India won five para badminton medals in Paris, one more than in Tokyo, with three of them coming courtesy female shuttlers.

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