After a brilliant display of talent by Indian athletes at the Rio Olympics, athletes make us proud at Paralympics 2016. An international sporting event for athletes with physical disabilities, Summer Paralympics is held every 4 years, organized by the International Paralympics Committee. India, in the year 2016, sent its largest delegation in history comprising of 19 competitors in 5 sports. As of now, our athletes have clinched 2 Gold, 1 Silver and 1 Bronze medal, and we all appreciate their incredible efforts towards our nation.
Mariyappan Thangavelu is one such person who has outdone himself and clinched a gold medal in Men’s high jump finals with a leap of 1.89. I’m not even going to talk about his disability because there is none, as he has always believed that he wasn’t any different from anyone. The spirit of ‘keep walking until you’ve reached your goal’ is what Mariyappan’s athleticism echoes of. This 21-year-old Paralympic Gold Medallist is the kind of hero this country needs and should look up to. Keep going, champion!
Devendra Jhajharia, an Indian Paralympic javelin thrower, is no less than any athlete this country has produced. Becoming the second athlete to win a gold medal for India in 2004 Paralympics, Devendra broke the world record in the 2016 Summer Paralympics with 63.97 metres. Awarded with Padma Shri and the Arjuna Award among others, Devendra is a true braveheart who has been his best to make a nation proud.
Deepa Malik, India’s Paralympics athlete clinched the Silver medal in Shotput at Paralympics 2016 becoming the first Indian woman to win a medal at the Paralympics Games. This is not only a huge icebreaker for people with physical disabilities, but also for women in India who think they’ll never be good enough. Deepa’s victory is one that is going to be sung year after year, and she deserves all the accolades for her bravery and spirit. Women empowerment all the way!
21-year-old Varun Singh Bhati is an incredible success story in the making. Afflicted by Polio at an early age, nothing was going to stop Varun from joining sports and becoming one of India’s top athletes in the coming years. A student of B.Sc. Maths Honours, Varun defines being an all-rounder. A high jumper, Varun efficiently clinched the Bronze medal in the 2016 Summer Paralympics and he won’t stop at this. There’s more to come and we’re all excited to see this rising star achieve all his goals he has set for himself.
All of us “able” people find excuses to not do even the minutest of things in our daily life. And then we come across such inspiring living legends who did not let any obstacle stop them from achieving what they wanted and are determined to be their best each time they perform. It’s time we all choose our role models wisely and learn from these individuals who have successfully won hearts worldwide. We’re proud of all you athletes and hope to see more of you in the coming years.
More power to you, heroes.
