Amit Saroha leads Indian charge at Paralympic World Championship
The 2015 IPC Athletics Championship, witnessing participation of para-athletes from 96 different nations in 213 different events, is underway at Doha from October 21. While the 14-man Indian contingent had a disappointing start, they retain hopes of striking gold when athlete, Amit Kumar Saroha takes the field on October 29.
Earlier, India had a disappointing start in the Championship when the men's high jump F42, held on Thursday, saw three athletes representing India in the finals. Sharad Kumar, who is also the Asian record holder, finished sixth, while the experienced Girisha Hosanagara Nagarajegowda finished eighth. In fact it was 20-year-old Varun Singh Bhati, who came closest to a medal with a jump of 1.75 metres, 0.04 metres less than what was required to beat Polish athlete Lukasz Mamczarz to the bronze medal.
On Monday, Sunil Phogat finished tenth in the men's javelin throw F55 event, while Rishi Kant Sharma was seventh in men's javeline throw F13 event, despite scoring his personal best of 51.95m.
A total of 14 Indian para athletes are taking part in the games with nineĀ of them set to take the field in the coming days. Later today, Veteran para-athlete Deepa Malik, the only female representative for India and another Arjuna awardee, will participate in the women's shot put F53 event.
30-year-old Amit Kumar Saroha, an Arjuna ward winner and gold medalist in the 2014 Para Asian Games will carry a lot of expectations on his shoulders and is probably India's best chance of winning a gold in Doha. Amit is the Asian record holder for both men's club throw F51 and men's discus throw F51. He is scheduled to participate on 29th October in the men's club throw F51 event.
