Paris: Preethi Pal made history as she became the first Indian woman to win two track and field medals at the Paralympics. Preethi, aged 23, clinched a bronze medal in the 200m T35 category with a personal best time of 30.01 seconds at the Paris Games on Sunday. This achievement follows her earlier bronze in the 100m T35 event, making her only the second Indian woman to win two Paralympic medals after shooter Avani Lekhara, who won gold and bronze in Tokyo 2021.
In the same games, Nishad Kumar won his second successive Paralympics silver medal in the men’s high jump T47 category, with a season-best jump of 2.04 meters. This marks India’s third medal in para-athletics at the Paris Paralympics and seventh overall. Nishad, who had also won silver in the Tokyo Paralympics, had a close competition with world record holder Townsend Roderick of the USA, who took gold with a jump of 2.12 meters.
Preethi, a farmer’s daughter from Muzaffarnagar, Uttar Pradesh, faced numerous challenges due to weak legs and irregular leg posture from birth. Her journey into para-athletics began at 17 after being inspired by Paralympic athlete Fatima Khatoon. Nishad’s path to success has been equally inspiring, driven by his mother, a former state-level volleyball player. His dedication to sports led him to win multiple international medals, including gold at the Asian Para Games and silver at the World Para Athletics Championship in 2024.
