JOIN USThe Paralympic Committee of India (PCI) on Tuesday felicitated India's medal winners of the recently concluded World Para Athletics Championships in London.
India finished with five medals, their highest ever in the championships, with one gold, two silver and two bronze medals. Sunder Singh Gurjar won gold in javelin throw, Sharad Kumar (high jump) and Anil Kumar (club throw) won silver while Varun Singh Bhati (high jump) and Karamjyoti Dalal (discus) won bronze medals.
The PCI president Rao Inderjit Singh hailed the performance of his athletes. “Last year in the Rio Games, we won four medals. A year later in World championships we have won five. Also only one (Varun Bhati) is among the five to have won a medal in Rio Games. So if our second team is also winning medals, it just goes on to show that the base of our pyramid is increasing," Rao told reporters.
Sunder had to tragically return without starting his event at the Rio Games after he failed to be present at the time of roll call. He couldn't understand the accent. It took him quite some time to recover from the setback but on Tuesday he was delighted to have proved himself in the Worlds. “When I returned from Rio, I was heartbroken. But I got a lot of support and found the will to compete. The performance at the Worlds wasn't my best but I was very happy to win the gold. I promise that in Asian Games I will win gold with a world record,” Sunder said.
Like Sundar, Anil, too, was eager to leave a mark after returning without a medal from the Rio Games. “I believe every athlete has his day. That day in Rio was not mine. But in London it was my day as I broke world record along with the gold medallist," he exulted.
Sharad, the former world no 1 high jumper, too had his share of challenges. “I couldn't participate in the London Paralympics because I was accused for doping. It was very demoralizing for me. But I recovered, went to train in Ukraine with my own money, and prepared myself to compete, “ he said.