India at Paris Paralympics: Nishad, Preethi win silver and bronze

India won two more medals at the ongoing Paris Paralympics 2024 on Sunday (September 1) with para-athletes Nishad Kumar and Preethi Pal claiming silver and bronze respectively.

Also on Sunday, shuttler Suhas Yathiraj positioned himself for glory by reaching the summit clash for a second consecutive time.

Another shuttler, Manisha Ramadass also assured India of a medal but star shooter Avani Lekhara missed out on repeating her medal-winning feat in her pet event.

India's medal tally

India ended Day 4 of competitions at 27th spot in the rankings with seven medals (1 gold, 2 silver, 4 bronze).

Preethi created history as she became the first Indian woman track and field athlete to win two medals at the Paralympics while Nishad Kumar clinched his second successive silver at the showpiece in the men's high jump T47 category.

The 23-year-old Preethi, a farmer's daughter from Muzaffarnagar in Uttar Pradesh, bagged a bronze in the 200m T35 category with a personal best time of 30.01 seconds. She also won a bronze in the 100m T35 category on Friday.

She faced significant physical challenges when she was born as her lower body was plastered for six days after birth. Weak legs and an irregular leg posture made her prone to various diseases.

Preethi also became only the second Indian woman to win two medals -- both bronze -- in a single Paralympics after shooter Avani Lekhara who won a gold and a bronze in Tokyo three years ago.

T35 classification is meant for athletes who have coordination impairments such as hypertonia, ataxia and athetosis.

Later in the day, the 24-year-old Nishad, who hails from Una in Himachal Pradesh, won India's third medal from para-athletics and seventh overall for the country in Paris Paralympics with a season's best effort of 2.04m.

He lost his right hand in a grass-cutting machine when he was six-year-old.

Nishad, who had also won a silver in Tokyo Paralympics three years ago with a jump of 2.06m, had a tough fight with world record holder and defending champion Townsend Roderick of the USA, who clinched the gold after clearing 2.12m.

Suhas's achievement

Tokyo Games silver medallist Suhas is set to become the first Indian shuttler to win back-to-back medals at the Paralympics after outplaying compatriot Sukant Kadam in straight games to reach the men's singles SL4 final.

The 41-year-old Suhas, a 2007 batch IAS officer, beat Sukant 21-17, 21-12 to make another final at the global showpiece.

Later, Nitesh Kumar also guaranteed a medal for himself in SL3 with a 21-16 21-12 victory over Japan's Daisuke Fujihara in the semifinal.

Before Suhas sizzled, it was Manisha who set up an all-Indian women's singles SU5 semifinal with compatriot Thulasimathi Murugesan, assuring the country of at least a silver.

The 19-year-old Manisha, who was born with Erb's palsy which affected her right arm, had no trouble in dispatching Japan's Mamiko Toyoda 21-13 21-16 in the quarterfinals. The second-seeded Indian left-hander needed 30 minutes to down her unseeded rival.

Erb's palsy is a nerve disorder in the shoulder and arm that results in weakness or loss of muscle function.

In the last four, Manisha will meet top seed Thulasimathi, who defeated Portugal's Beatriz Monteiro in group A on Saturday.

In the SU5 category, the players have impairment of the upper limbs. The impairment could be on the playing or non-playing hand.

However, Mandeep Kaur and Palak Kohli were eliminated in the quarterfinals.

(With agency inputs)