Dharambir Smashes Asian Record For India’s Fifth Gold At Paris Paralympics 2024, Pranav Soorma Clinches Silver

Paris: Dharambir shattered the Asian record in men’s club throw F51 event en path to India’s fifth gold medal at the Paris Paralympics 2024 on Thursday while his compatriot Pranav Soorma clinched silver because the Indian’s dominated the event in the French capital. Dharambir, whose first four attempts were foul throws, produced certainly one of the many best comebacks at the Games in Paris because the 35-year-old hurled his club to a distance of 34.92m in his fifth are attempting and win the pinnacle spot on the podium.

Soorma, who injured his spinal chord at sixteen when a cement sheet fell on his head, then produced a throw of 34.59m in his first attempt on the other hand the 29-year-old from Faridabad couldn’t better and get past Dharambir as India completed a one-two. The 1/3 Indian in the fray, 2017 world championship silver medallist, trailblazing Indian para-athlete and Dharmbir’s mentor Amit Kumar Saroha, on the other hand, finished last with a best effort of 23.96m.

Serbia’s Filip Graovac bagged the bronze, courtesy a 34.18m throw in his 2nd attempt. The F51 club throw event is for athletes who've movement affected to a high degree in the trunk, legs and hands. Your entire competitors compete while seated and place self assurance of their shoulders and arm to generate power.

Dharambir’s Life Took Dramatic Turn

Hailing from Sonipat, Dharambir’s life took a dramatic turn while diving in a canal in his village. He misjudged the water’s depth, crashing into the underlying rocks. This unfortunate incident resulted in paralysis from the waist down, significantly altering his life trajectory. In 2014, Dharambir revealed para-sports, which opened new avenues for him. He began training in club throw lower than the mentorship of Amit Kumar Saroha, a fellow para athlete who shares the same condition.

With dedication and labor, Dharambir made unprecedented progress in only two years, achieving the qualification for the 2016 Rio Paralympics. Since then, Dharambir has consistently demonstrated unheard of form, earning various medals for India.

Most recently, he secured a silver medal at the Asian Para Games 2022. In recognition of his outstanding performances in national and international competitions, Dharambir was once honored with the Bhim Award in 2022, some of essentially the most effective sports honor awarded by the Government of Haryana.’

Quitting Wasn’t On Pranav’s Mind

For Pranav, doctors told him he would never walk again after his accident, and spent six months in the sanatorium. It took a few years for Pranav to simply accept that a wheelchair could be his lifelong companion. Alternatively, his indomitable spirit and ‘do now no longer quit’ attitude helped him make one of the many best of his situation.

To accommodate a favorable mindset, Pranav began meditating. While in the sanatorium, friends introduced him to para sports, igniting a new passion. Regardless of being confined to a wheelchair, Pranav excelled academically, scoring ninety one.2 % in his twelfth board exams and pursuing a postgraduate degree in commerce from the prestigious Delhi School of Economics. He later secured a job as an Assistant Manager at the Bank of Baroda.

He experimented with different para sports and even participated in the Mr. Wheelchair India event ahead of finding his true passion in para athletics. Pranav’s dedication to training paid off as he competed at state, national, and international levels in para sports. His achievements include a silver medal at the 2019 Beijing Grand Prix, a gold medal at the Serbia Open 2023, and both gold and silver medals at the Tunisia Grand Prix 2022. At the Asian Para Games 2023, Pranav set a record with a 30.01m throw in the men’s club throw F51 event, earning a gold medal.