The Paralympic Games are going to start in Paris from 28 August. This time India is sending a team of 84 players to Paris, which is the largest team so far. Indian players have gone to Paris with a target of 25 medals. However, among these 84 players, there are some players who will defend their gold medal. These include two shooters, one athlete and one badminton player. India did not get a single gold medal in the recently concluded Paris Olympics 2024, after which it is expected that Indian players will make up for the lack of Olympics by winning gold in the Paralympics.
Let us tell you who are the players from whom India has the highest expectations of a gold medal.
Sumit Antil
Sumit Antil will be the flag bearer of India in the Paris Paralympic Games. Sumit will participate in the F64 category of javelin throw. In this category, players with lower leg disorders participate in standing position events using artificial legs. Sumit Antil won the gold medal in the Para Championship in May this year by throwing 70.83 meters. Sumit has set a world record three times in his career. This time in the Paralympics, it is expected that he will be able to defend his gold.
Krishna Nagar
Badminton star player Krishna Nagar will also defend his gold medal. Nagar has won silver and bronze medals in para badminton in the 2019 World Championship. He won the gold medal in the SH6 category in the 2020 Tokyo Olympics. Krishna is in good form this year too. He also won the gold medal in the World Championship this year.
Manish Narwal
Manish Narwal was the player who won the third gold medal for India in the Tokyo Olympics. Manish won gold in the men’s 50 meter pistol SH1 event. India also won the silver medal in this event which was won by Singhraj Adhana. Manish Narwal set a Paralympic record by scoring 218.2 in the final.
Avani Lekhara
Tokyo Paralympic champion Avani Lekhara will also defend her gold. Avani won the gold medal in the women’s 10m air rifle standing SH1 rifle event and the bronze medal in the three position event in Tokyo. Lekhara won the gold medal in the women’s 10m air rifle standing SH1 event with a world record of 250.6 points. 20-year-old Avani is expected to win the gold medal once again at the Paris Paralympics.
