The World Opinion

Tag: Paris Paralympics 2024

  • Paris Paralympics 2024: Praveen Kumar Brings Home Sixth Gold For India, Breaks Asian T64 High Jump Record | Other

    The Indian para-athlete Praveen Kumar secured gold medal for the country at the ongoing Paris Paralympics in the men’s high jump T64 final on Friday. In the medal round, Praveen performed a record-breaking jump of 2.08 metres. With this jump, he has established an all-new Asian record. At the second and third spots were the USA’s Derek Loccident (2.06 m) and Uzbekistan’s Temurbek Giyazov (2.03 m) respectively. Derek broke the Paralympic record by Japan’s Toru Suzuki from 2021 (1.88 m) while Uzbekistan’s Giyazov recorded a personal best jump.

    With this medal, India’s medal tally in the ongoing Paralympics has gone up to 26, with six gold medals, nine silver medals and 11 bronze medals. This is the most gold India has ever won at a Paralympics Games event, surpassing the total of five gold in Tokyo 2020.

    Indian para-athletes in particular have made the country proud with three golds, six silver and five bronze medals, giving them a total of 14 medals. (Kapil Parmar Wins Historic Judo Bronze For India At Paris Paralympics 2024)

    This year, India has sent its largest Paralympics contingent ever, comprising 84 athletes across 12 sports, a testament to the country’s expanding para-sports ecosystem. India’s participation in the Paris 2024 Paralympics marks not only a significant increase in numbers but also in medal hopes, as the nation aims to surpass its previous achievements in Tokyo. Tokyo 2020 was previously India’s most successful Paralympic Games, with the country winning 19 medals, including five golds, eight silver and six bronzes.

  • Google Doodle Celebrates Paralympic Powerlifting With Whimsical Artwork Other

    In a vibrant tribute to the Paralympic Powerlifting event, Google has once again used its iconic Doodle to capture the essence of an inspiring sporting occasion. On September 5, the search engine giant unveiled an animated Doodle that showcases a blue bird lifting a baguette as if it were a barbell, symbolizing the ongoing para powerlifting competition at the 2024 Paralympic Games in Paris.

    Also Read: Why Yuvraj Singh’s Father Yograj Singh Hate MS Dhoni & Kapil Dev?

    A Creative Nod to Para Powerlifting

    The Doodle features a playful depiction: a large blue bird lifts a baguette while a smaller brown bird perches on top, nibbling on a piece of bread. The background is a charming display of various types of bread, adding a whimsical touch to the illustration. Google’s official page for the Doodle reads, “The wait is over, the weights are on. Get ready for today’s Para Powerlifting event at Arena Porte de La Chappelle!”

    This delightful artwork not only celebrates the powerlifting event but also highlights the spirit and strength of the athletes participating in the games. The Doodle’s creative design aligns perfectly with the Paralympic ethos, showcasing both the sport’s intensity and its inclusive nature.

    The Significance of Para Powerlifting

    Para powerlifting made its debut at the Tokyo 1964 Games, with its inclusion as an official Paralympic sport occurring in 1984. The women’s competition was added later, at the Sydney Paralympic Games in 2000. This event challenges athletes to display immense upper body strength, with Competitors lifting weights across various categories based on their weight class and impairment.

    The event runs from September 4 to September 8 at the Arena Porte de La Chapelle. Athletes compete in different weight categories, such as 49 kg, 54 kg, and 59 kg for men, and 41 kg, 45 kg, and 50 kg for women, among others. Eligible impairments include cerebral palsy, orthopedic disabilities, neurological conditions, paraplegia, and tetraplegia, ensuring a broad range of athletes can participate.

    Standout Performances from Day One

    The opening day of the para powerlifting event was filled with exceptional performances. In the women’s 45 kg category, LL Guo from China clinched the gold medal, with Z. Newson of Great Britain and N. Muratli of Turkey taking silver and bronze, respectively. Meanwhile, in the men’s 49 kg category, Jordan’s O. Qarada emerged victorious, followed by Turkey’s A. Kayapinar in second place and Vietnam’s VC Lê in third.

    These performances not only showcase the incredible strength and dedication of the athletes but also set a high standard for the remainder of the competition. The para powerlifting event continues to captivate audiences with its displays of sheer willpower and skill.

    Google’s Ongoing Support for Paralympic Athletes Google has a history of celebrating major sporting events with engaging Doodles, and this year’s tribute to para powerlifting is no exception. Earlier in the week, Google also highlighted the wheelchair tennis event with its own creative artwork, demonstrating the company’s commitment to honoring the diverse range of sports featured in the Paralympic Games.

  • India’s Nitesh Kumar Wins Gold Medal In SL3 Badminton After Epic Battle At Paris Paralympics 2024 | Other

    Paralympics 2024: India shuttler Nitesh Kumar outplayed Great Britain’s second-seeded Daniel Bethell to clinch a gold medal in the men’s singles SL3 category in the ongoing Paralympics on Monday. Nitesh who discovered his passion in badminton at IIT-Mandi, added a second gold to India’s medal tally after shooter Avani Lekhra got his hands on the nation’s first gold at the Paris

    Paralympics with a sensational display in the women’s 10m air rifle final. In a game that went right down the wire, Nitest ousted Daniel with a 21-14, 18-21, 23-21 win to claim his stake at the top of the podium.

    The first set ensued between Nitesh and Daniel, a closely-knit affair. With both shuttles playing in a vertical half-court, rallies were quite longer. With both shuttles going neck-to-neck, Daniel enjoyed a slender lead with the scoreline reading at 4-5. Daniel stayed in front midway through the first set with an 11-13 lead.

    As the game progressed, Nitesh upped the ante in the second half of the first set to enforce his dominance over the Great Britain shuttler. A flurry of points saw him edge Daniel and wrap up the first set with a 21-14 lead.

    In the second set, it was Nitesh who took a slender 5-4 lead. Daniel tried to counterattack with in-body smashes. But the Indian, on several occasions, effectively negated it away with his defensive prowess.

    Nitesh slowly extended his lead to three by luring Daniel into making informed errors. He either went too long or placed the shuttle too short, allowing Nitesh to stay in the lead. Daniel retaliated by showcasing grit and display by winning three consecutive points to restore parity at 14-14.

    The second set went right down the wire, with Nitesh taking a narrow one-point lead and Daniel breathing right down the Indian’s neck by cutting short his lead. Daniel shifted through gears and increased the intensity by mixing smash and drop shots effectively.

    Daniel eventually took the lead with a well-placed shot right at the line, which Nitesh couldn’t lift across the net. His late surge saw him take two consecutive points to take the second set with an 18-21 win.

    The shades of the first two sets were visible in the gold medal decider. Once again, it was a closely fought affair between the two shuttles. But Nitesh managed to take a slim lead at the halfway mark, with the scoreline reading 11-10.

    Daniel tried to adopt an aggressive approach, and Nitesh replied with the same intensity to keep his one-point lead intact.

    But unlike the previous set, Nitesh raised the bar and raced to a five-point lead to take a step closer to the gold medal.

    But Daniel wasn’t in the mood to let Nitesh get his hands on the gold medal so easily. With precision, he reduced Nitesh’s lead to just a point.

    He couldn’t follow it up and struck the net, which allowed Nitesh to extend his lead to three points at 19-16. As Nitesh stood just two points away from the gold medal, Daniel made the Indian dance to his tune and restored the parity at 19-19.

    Nitesh netted the shuttle, leaving Daniel just one point away from the gold. Nitesh made it 21-21 with a drop shot, which Daniel couldn’t get enough height. Nitesh got his hands on the coveted gold after Daniel placed the shuttle outside the court. The crowd erupted with joy as Nitesh animatedly celebrated his win.

    After settling the historic gold, both shuttles shook hands and exchanged jerseys with each other. Nitesh arrived in the final after defeating Japan’s Daisuke Fujihara in straight sets, 21–16, 21–12, in the semifinals.