Paris: Yogesh Kathuniya, representing India, secured his second consecutive silver medal in the men’s discus throw F-56 event at the Paris Paralympics on Monday, with a season-best throw of 42.22 meters. The 27-year-old athlete reached the podium in his very first attempt, adding to the silver medal he previously won at the Tokyo Paralympics three years ago.
Brazil’s Claudiney Batista dos Santos dominated the event, securing his third straight Paralympic gold with a new Games record of 46.86 meters in his fifth throw. Greece’s Konstantinos Tzounis took the bronze with a throw of 41.32 meters.
The F-56 classification includes athletes with limb deficiencies, leg length differences, impaired muscle power, and limited range of motion.
Kathuniya’s journey is one of remarkable resilience. Diagnosed with Guillain-Barre syndrome at the age of 9, a rare autoimmune disorder that causes muscle weakness and paralysis, he overcame these challenges with the support of his mother, Meena Devi, who learned physiotherapy to help him regain his muscle strength. His father served in the Indian Army.
A commerce graduate from Kirori Mal College in Delhi, Kathuniya now holds two Paralympic silver medals and three World Championship medals, including two silver and a bronze. Although his throw at the Paris Paralympics fell short of his 44.38-meter effort in Tokyo, Kathuniya remains one of India’s top Paralympians.
Kathuniya’s main rival, the 45-year-old Dos Santos, broke the Paralympic record twice during the competition, first with a throw of 46.45 meters and later surpassing it with 46.86 meters. Dos Santos, a three-time World Championships gold medalist, had previously set the Paralympic record of 45.59 meters in Tokyo.
