New Delhi, Jan 12 (Sports News) India's Olympic and Paralympic heroes, including men's hockey team skipper Manpreet Singh and para table-tennis player Bhavina Patel, feel there should be an increased focus on physical fitness and mental health of youngsters given the lifestyle changes forced by the COVID-19 pandemic.

Manpreet and Bhavina were speaking at the National Youth Festival's virtual session titled 'Sports - A Unifier for Ek Bharat Shrestha Bharat'.

Tokyo Olympics bronze-medallist boxer Lovlina Borgohain, Indian women's hockey team captain Rani Rampal and Parlympics bronze-medallist high jumper Sharad Kumar were also present for the session.

"Fitness is not just physical. There is mental fitness as well. Everyone should understand that life becomes a lot easier when you are fit. Your health remains good, you stay happy and positive," said Bhavina, who became the first-ever Indian paddler to win a medal at the Paralympics with her silver in Tokyo.

"So, every person should try a become fit. Staying fit is not just for sportspersons but good for everyone," she added.

Since the beginning of 2020, the COVID-19 pandemic has wreaked havoc all over the world.

Educational institutions have resorted to online classes and in such circumstances, Rani said it has become even more important to engage children in physical activities.

"Children are having a lot of online classes nowadays because of the pandemic but I request parents to send the children outside so that they have some physical and brain activity," she said.

"This will help in their growth. I am not saying everyone has to make sports their profession but children should be sent outside to plays so that they become healthy," Rani added.

Manpreet, who led the men's hockey team to an Olympic bronze medal, praised Prime Minister Narendra Modi for promoting fitness among the youth via various schemes like the Fit India campaign and the Khelo India Games.

"If you take out 30 minutes in the day to exercise your body will remain fit and you can fight a lot of diseases," he said.

"Youth is our future and to take a country forward one must invest in youth. Our PM is focussing on this a lot. He knows youth is the future.

"He started Khelo India (Games) and Fit India campaign and the performance that we got in the Tokyo Olympics and Paralympics shows that and India’s future is very bright," Manpreet added. 

Also Read : PKL: Bengal Warriors look to bounce back, Pune eye U Mumba scalp in Maharashtra Derby

News Source : PTI

New Delhi, Oct 27 (Sports news) Javelin thrower Neeraj Chopra, who became only the second Indian to win an individual Olympic gold at the Tokyo Games, and silver medal-winning wrestler Ravi Dahiya were on Wednesday recommended for the Khel Ratna as an unprecedented 11 athletes were selected for the country's highest sporting honour.

Boxer Lovlina Borgohain, who won a bronze at the Tokyo Olympics, seasoned hockey goalkeeper PR Sreejesh and woman cricket Test skipper Mithali Raj were also recommended for the Major Dhyanchand Khel Ratna by the selection committee.

Iconic Sunil Chhetri also became the country's first footballer to be selected for the honour.

Last year, five athletes were picked for the award while four were selected after the 2016 Rio Games.

The announcement of the national sports awards was delayed in order to consider the performance of the para-athletes in the Tokyo Paralympics (August 24 to September 5).

Shooter Avani Lekhara and Manish Narwal, javelin thrower Sumit Antil and shuttlers Pramod Bhagat and Krishna Nagar, who all have won a gold each in the Tokyo Paralympics, completed the list of those recommended for the Khel Ratna. The committee also picked 35 athletes for the Arjuna award, eight more than last year's number of awardees.

Cricketer Shikhar Dhawan, para TT player Bhavina Patel, para shuttler Suhas Yathiraj and high jumper Nishad Kumar are among those selected for the Arjuna award.

Members of the men's hockey team that won a historic bronze in the Olympics will also receive Arjuna award.

Also Read : Olympic champion Neeraj Chopra and other Tokyo Games participants felicitated by JSW Sports

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New Delhi, Oct 8 (Sports news) Tokyo Paralympics gold-medallist shuttler Pramod Bhagat on Friday said he is confident that India will double its medal count at the prestigious multi-sport event in Paris, which is just three years away.

India had returned with its best-ever performance from the Tokyo Paralympics, winning 19 medals -- five gold, eight silver, six bronze. The country's previous best tally at one edition of the Paralympic Games was four.

"I am confident that the medal tally will double (in Paris in 2024)," said the three-time world champion Bhagat, who claimed the yellow metal in the men's singles SL3 class, during a panel discussion at 'India Today Conclave'.

"Our Prime Minister is fully supportive of the athletes. The PCI is taking care of its athletes well, if the PM is with us and the facilities are being given, it is possible...." Bhagat, who had contracted polio when he was 4 years old, picked up the sports after watching his neighbours play. Initially, he competed against able-bodied players before getting into competitive para badminton in 2006.

"The struggles in life teach us a lot and what we can achieve," the world no 1 Bhagat said.

"It is important how much confidence we have and not how much we train or play....It is important how you make up your mind and move forward." Suhas Yathiraj, India's first-ever IAS officer to win a medal at the Paralympics, described Tokyo Paralympics as a watershed moment, saying it can provide a big boost to para sports just like winning the 1983 World Cup did to cricket in the country.

Yathiraj had claimed the silver in the men's singles SL4 class badminton event at Tokyo.

"1983 was a watershed moment for Indian cricket when Kapil dev lifted the world cup. Similarly, 2020 Tokyo is a watershed moment for Indian paralympics. You will see a sea change in attitude," Yathiraj, the Noida District Magistrate, said.

"I see a huge difference in the way people perceive...nothing succeeds like success. The way the country is celebrating both Olympic and paralympic medals is very good ... awareness is increasing gradually." Table tennis player Bhavina Patel, who clinched a historic silver medal on her Paralympic Games debut in Tokyo, said she was worried about qualifying for the Tokyo games when the pandemic struck and recalled the challenges she faced.

"It was a big challenge during the pandemic. First, I had to qualify for the Paralympis. With great difficulty, I could qualify for the Paralympics," said Patel, who became only the second Indian female athlete ever to win a medal at the Paralympics.

"Apart from training, fitness was a challenge but I was able to overcome them. During the pandemic, it was a blessing, I trained a lot and planned a lot for each player." Paralympic Committee of India president Deepa Malik said accessibility would be key to developing para-sports in the country.

"Accessibility is not just physical, it has to be in the mindset as well. Unless we tap the grassroot and we create more arenas that are accessible and are universally accessible, it will always remain a chicken and egg story," she said.

"What will come first, more talent or the infrastructure. We really need to work on district level and on state policies. Thanks to these 19 medals a lot of states have revised their policies for para-sports." Malik said she was ecstatic when Bhavina Patel won a silver medal at the Tokyo Paralympics.

"Bringing home the first medal was kind of a paradox for me because it had taken our country 72 years to create a female Paralympic medallist," said Malik, who won a silver medal in the 2016 Rio Paralympics.

"And I was most ecstatic the moment Bhavina (Patel) won a medal. I said, I am not alone here now, I have another silver smile shining over the tricolour "I am very proud we are back with 19 medals. From 19 going to Rio in 2016 to 54 going to Tokyo. From 2 girls to 14 girls, we have come a long way....," she added.

Gaurav Khanna, Head National Coach, Indian Para-Badminton Team, was also present during the event.

Also read : Olympians, Paralympians join hands to promote COVID appropriate behaviour during festival season

News Source : PTI

Tokyo, Aug 31 (Paralympics news) The Indian women's table tennis team including Bhavina Patel was outclassed 0-2 by China in the Class 4-5 quarterfinal at the Paralympic Games here on Tuesday.

Bhavina, who had won a historic silver in the singles event on Sunday, lost 0-3 (4-11 7-11 6-11) to Ying Zhou for the third time in the competition. The Chinese had also beaten her in the singles final.

In the doubles content, Sonal Patel and Bhavina were no match for the Chinese duo comprising Ying and Zhang Bian, losing in straight games. The Indian pairing was defeated 2-11 4-11 2-11 in the showdown that lasted just 13 minutes.

Also read: Rakesh Kumar makes quarterfinal exit, Indian challenge ends in compound section

In the class 4 category competitors have fair sitting balance and fully functional arms and hands. Their impairment may be due to a lower spinal-cord lesion or cerebral palsy.

While the class 5 category includes athletes who compete in a wheelchair but who have a normal sitting balance, arm and hand function. The athletes have the most physical functionality of those in a wheelchair. 

News source: PTI

(Athletics news) Tokyo Paralympics 2021 Live Update: India grabbed two medals in the Men's Javelin Throw F46 to continue its medal winning spree in the Tokyo Paralympics. Devendra Jhajharia won his record third medal in as many attempts, he took the Silver and Sundar Singh Gurjar proved he is indeed a medal prospect by finishing third in the event. Devendra threw a personal best of 64.35 in his third attempt to secure the second position and Sundar also threw a personal best of 64.01 in his fifth attempt to join his teammate at the podium.

India has so far won a record 7 medals this Parlympics. Bhavina Patel won the Silver in Women’s Singles Class 4 Table Tennis, Vinod Kumar won the Bronze medal in the Discus Throw F52 which is under review, Nishad Kumar won the Silver in High Jump T47, Yogesh Kathuniya won the Silver in Discus Throw F56, Avani Lekhara won a historic Gold in Women’s 10m air rifle standing SH1, Devendra won a Silver and Sundar Singh took the Bronze in Javelin Throw F46.

Also read: Yogesh Kathuniya wins silver at the men’s discus throw at the Tokyo Paralympics

(Athletics news) Tokyo Paralympics 2021 Live Update: Discus thrower Vinod Kumar clinched a bronze medal in the men's F52 event with an Asian record to give India its third medal in Tokyo Paralympics here on Sunday.

The 41-year-old BSF man, whose father fought in the 1971 Indo-Pak war, produced a best throw of 19.91m to finish third behind Piotr Kosewicz (20.02m) of Poland and Velimir Sandor (19.98m) of Croatia.

He injured his legs while training after joining the BSF, falling off a cliff in Leh that left him bed-ridden for close to a decade during which he lost both his parents.

The F52 classification is for athletes with impaired muscle power, restricted range of movement, limb deficiency or leg length difference, with athletes competing in seated position.

It also applies to cervical cord injury, spinal cord injury, amputation, and functional disorder.

Both Bhavinaben Patel and Nishad Kumar had earlier won a silver each in women's singles table tennis class 4 and men's T47 high jump events respectively on Sunday.

Also read: Bhavina Patel wins silver at the Tokyo Paralympics after losing 3-0 to Zhou Ying from China in the women’s singles

News source: PTI

(Shooting news) Tokyo Paralympics 2021 Live Update: Avani Lekhara became the first shooter from India to win a Paralympic medal, and it was a GOLD! The 19 year old showed calmness and maturity beyond her years to finish on top of the Women’s 10m Air Rifle SH1 with a score of 249.6.

Avani finished 7th in the qualification round, scoring 621.7 and competing with the top 5 ranked shooters in the women’s in the SH1 category. Despite being in her late teens, the shooter performed admirably and registered scores of 124.9, 145.7 and 166.9 consecutively. Her pinpoint accuracy meant shots of 10.7 and 10.6 were frequent. Her score of 249.6 meant the Indian shooter set a new Paralympic record and equalled the World Record.

Also read: Bhavina Patel wins silver at the Tokyo Paralympics after losing 3-0 to Zhou Ying from China in the women’s singles
 

(Table tennis news) Tokyo Paralympics 2021 Live Update: Bhavina Patel’s impressive run at the women’s singles Class 4 at the Tokyo Paralympics came to a bittersweet end after the 34 year old paddler lost in straight games to Zhou Ying from China to finish in second place with a silver medal.

Zhou Ying was determined not to give Bhavina Patel any breathing space as the Chinese paddler won the first game 11-7 in just six minutes and continued her momentum with lightning fast pace as she won the second set 11-5 in five minutes. Before Bhavina Patel knew what hit her, the game had already slipped out of her hands.

Bhavina Patel tried to make a comeback in the third game, clinging to the last desperate hope to salvage her ambitions for a Paralympic gold but to no avail. Zhou Ying won the third game 11-6 to finish the clash in just 19 minutes with a score of 11-7, 11-5, 11-6. However, the Indian paddler can be proud of her accomplishments in Tokyo as she became only the second Indian woman and the first table tennis player to win a Paralympics medal.

Also read: Bhavina Patel defeats China’s Zhang Miao 3-2 in the semifinals of the Tokyo Paralympics, will play for gold in the final
 

New Delhi, Aug 28 (Paralympics news) Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday congratulated Bhavina Patel for her sensational semifinal win at the Tokyo Paralympics, saying her accomplishments have inspired the entire nation.

Patel scripted history on Saturday when she stunned her world no. 3 Chinese opponent 3-2 to become the first table tennis player from the country to reach the final of the Paralympics.

"Congratulations Bhavina Patel! You played excellently. The entire nation is praying for your success and will be cheering for you tomorrow. Give your best and play without any pressure. Your accomplishments inspire the entire nation. #Paralympics," Modi tweeted.

Also read: I don't consider myself as disabled: Bhavinaben Patel

The 34-year-old, who was diagnosed with polio when she was 12 months old, competes in the class 4 category, in which athletes have fair sitting balance and fully functional arms and hands. Their impairment may be due to a lower spinal-cord lesion or cerebral palsy.

Patel, who hails from Sundhiya village in Mehsana district in Gujarat and plays in a wheelchair, will take on world number one Chinese paddler Ying Zhou in the summit clash on Sunday.

Patel's medal, India's first in para table tennis at the marquee event, will also open India's account at the Tokyo Paralympics. 

News source: PTI

Tokyo, Aug 28 (Paralympics news) Assured of at least a Paralympic silver medal after reaching the table tennis finals here, India's Bhavinaben Patel on Saturday said she doesn't consider herself as disabled and her performance at the Tokyo Games proves that "nothing is impossible".

Patel became the first Indian to enter the final of a table tennis event in the Paralympics with a hard-fought 3-2 win over China's Miao Zhang in a class 4 semifinal here on Saturday.

The 34-year-old from Gujarat stunned her world no. 3 Chinese opponent 7-11 11-7 11-4 9-11 11-8 in the semifinal showdown that lasted 34 minutes.

"...I don't consider myself as disabled, I am always confident I can do anything and today I also proved that we are not behind and para table tennis is as ahead as other sports," said Patel, who was diagnosed with polio when she was a 12-year-old.

Also read: Bhavina Patel defeats China’s Zhang Miao 3-2 in the semifinals of the Tokyo Paralympics, will play for gold in the final

"I fought against China and it is always said that it is difficult to win against China. Today I proved that nothing is impossible, you can do everything..." This was Patel's first victory against the former world number one Zhang. The two players had met 11 times before.

Patel, who plays in a wheelchair, will take on world number one Chinese paddler Ying Zhou in the summit clash on Sunday.

She said focussing on mental aspect of the game helped her during the match.

"My schedule used to start at 4am and I used to focus more on my mind, through meditation and yoga I learnt to keep myself calm. During matches, sometimes we make mistakes in a hurry and we lose points but I could control my thoughts today," she said.

"I want to thank the coaches, who taught me tricks and technique because of them I have been able to reach here." Patel also acknowledged the support that she received from different quarters.

"When a player doesn't get financial support, it becomes difficult to move ahead in sport because the expenses of playing tournaments are so huge and it is difficult to afford for a middle class family but SAI, TOPS, PCI, government, OGQ, Blind People's Association, my family, all have supported me." 

News source: PTI

Lund (Sweden)/Sendai (Japan), Aug 28 (The Conversation) From a sporting perspective, the Tokyo Olympics were a massive success for Japan. Finishing third behind the Olympic behemoths of the US and China, Japan secured a record 27 gold medals.

Yet, as the closing ceremony reached a crescendo, on the Tokyo streets ambulances were taking patients from hospital to hospital in a desperate search for available beds.

During the first week of August, there were 2,897 cases of ambulances unable to admit patients to hospitals nationwide, a sharp increase from previous weeks. And with the delta variant now dominant, each day is currently seeing a record-breaking number of new COVID-19 cases.

Just before the Olympics, everything had seemed to be on track: Japan’s vaccination programme had just reached the impressive milestone of one million vaccinations per day, case numbers were manageable, and both the International Olympic Committee and Japanese government had promised a “safe and secure” games. Since then, though, Japan’s situation has nosedived.

Operating in ‘disaster mode’ Japan is now facing not only record cases, but also record numbers of severely ill patients: 1,974 as of August 26 2021. In Tokyo alone, daily infections have topped 4,000 throughout August, including more than 270 severe cases at the time of writing.

New guidelines stipulating that only high-risk patients be hospitalised mean that more than 20,000 infected individuals in Tokyo are staying at home. Unsurprisingly, reports are emerging of patients whose conditions have deteriorated rapidly, in some cases ending in death.

To deal with this spike of patients unable to receive medical care, the prime minister, Yoshihide Suga, has outlined plans to set up “oxygen stations” to give supplemental oxygen outside of hospital and to offer the Ronapreve antibody cocktail treatment for patients to use at home.

Also read: Bhavina Patel defeats China’s Zhang Miao 3-2 in the semifinals of the Tokyo Paralympics, will play for gold in the final

The government’s expert panel has described the situation as “out of control”, with the capital’s hospitals now operating in “disaster mode”. The panel is advising that at this stage, the public should take its own measures to protect itself from the virus. Public attention has fixed on the Tokyo metropolitan area, but the virus has now spread and is rampant throughout the country.

The role of the Olympics There was widespread opposition to the staging of the Olympics before they began, as the public was sceptical of the claims of a “risk-free” games. Undoubtedly the event helped the virus spread.

In the end it was not the athletes that were the problem, but rather the mixed messaging of staging the world’s biggest mega-event in the middle of a pandemic. Despite spectators not being allowed into Olympic venues, people still gathered to watch the games in parks and bars across the country. Public compliance with government measures deteriorated.

As the Suga government’s own chief COVID-19 expert, Shigeru Omi, has explained, the Olympics “affected the public’s perception” of the crisis, weakening the government’s own stay-at-home message and undermining the declaration of a state of emergency.

Vaccinations to the rescue? Taro Kono, the minister in charge of Japan’s vaccine rollout, has trumpeted his country’s success in inoculating its population. Japan went from vaccine laggard to one million doses per day in an astonishingly short time, and the majority of the elderly population have received two doses.

Still, with only 43% of the population fully vaccinated (approximately 54% had received at least one shot as of August 26), Japan is near the bottom of the OECD vaccination table.

So far Japan’s death rate has not increased in tandem with the infection rate. While there is likely some degree of lag, other countries have shown that high vaccination rates do help to erode the link between infection and death – meaning the climbing vaccination rate may have spared the country from an worse outcome.

Nonetheless, the dominance of the more infectious delta variant, together with Japan’s still relatively low vaccination rate, bodes ill for the coming months.

Where is this all going? Japan’s current wave has begun to slow but is yet to crest. Its impact on the health system is already visible and will likely worsen. The fallout in terms of long COVID will reveal itself in time.

A key problem is that the government has lost credibility. Staging the Olympics was only the latest in a series of mixed messages on COVID-19 – last year the government’s “Go To” travel campaign encouraged tourism in the middle of the country’s third wave, while the delayed vaccination campaign is partly the result of prioritising domestic-vaccine development over imports. The recent cover up of Japan’s first case of the lambda variant, as it was related to the Olympics, has added to public distrust.

The government meanwhile has expanded the scope of the current states of emergency that are in place, adding more prefectures. Suga’s top adviser Omi has called for a 50% reduction in mobility to flatten the curve and to relieve pressure on hospitals. Experts have also demanded legal changes to allow for stricter lockdown measures, like those implemented in Europe. Yet legal changes will require time.

With a general election scheduled for October, growing frustration over the government’s crisis management is threatening Suga and his Liberal Democratic Party’s electoral prospects. In post-Olympic polls, support for the government slipped below 30%, the lowest since the prime minister took office.

For various reasons, his party’s victory had seemed preordained. Although the opposition has so far failed to take advantage of the government’s failures, with two potentially devastating months ahead, now Suga’s position has never been more precarious. If the situation becomes dire, the challenge may even come before the election from within his own party.

Right now, it is hard to see the government regaining the public’s trust, and the short-term outlook is bleak. However, as the situation deteriorates, the Japanese public itself may sufficiently alter behaviour to slow the virus’s spread. (The Conversation)

News source: PTI

(Table tennis news) Tokyo Paralympics 2021 Live Update: Indian table tennis player Bhavina Patel defeated China’s Zhang Miao 3-2 of the women’s class 4 semifinals to book her berth into the finals at the Paralympic Games in Tokyo. Her persistence and self belief meant that the 34 year old finally overcame her opponent after previously losing to Zhang Miao 11 times.

Both the paddlers started off strongly, but the World Number 3 Zhang Miao gained the upper hand when the scores were level 3-3 and won the game 11-7. Bhavina then made a stunning comeback in game 2, winning by 11-7 to get back into the game.

She captured five consecutive points in the third game to get a 5-0 lead and eventually win the game 11-4. Game 4 was intense to say the least, with Bhavina Patel going toe to toe with her Chinese counterpart which involved long rallies, one that lasted for 19 shots and gave the Indian paddler a slender 7-6 lead. However, Zhang Miao refused to give up and forced the game into a decider.

In the final game, Bhavina was at her blitzkrieg best and had a 5-0 lead but Miao soon reduced the deficit by gaining three points for the score to read 3-6. Zhang Miao showed just why she is regarded as the World Number 3 by getting three consecutive points and gaining a 1 point lead over Bhavina Patel. However, the Indian did not give up and won two points in a row after a momentary time out to reach the finals.

Also read: Bhavina Patel defeats reigning Paralympics champion Borislava Peric 3-0 to progress to the semifinals in Tokyo

(Athletics news) Tokyo Paralympics Live Update: Tek Chand threw a season best throw of 9.04m the men's shot put (F55) but it wasn't enough to win India's first medal. In his six throws he had four fouls; only the throws of 9.04m and 8.57m were registered. The flag bearer of India in the opening ceremony never found a good rhythm which ultimately cost him. Brazilian shot putter Wallas Santos broke the world record with a throw of 12.63m beating the previous record of Bulgaria's Ruzhdi of 12.47m.

Also read: Bhavina Patel defeats reigning Paralympics champion Borislava Peric 3-0 to progress to the semifinals in Tokyo

India still has a lot of opportunities to win medals at the track and field events as the main medal prospects are still yet to perform. All eyes will be on the high jump and javelin throw which will take place on 31 August and 30 August respectively. Tek Chand will again be competing in men's javelin throw (F54) on 3rd September.
 

(Table tennis news) Tokyo Paralympics 2021 Live Update: Indian table tennis player Bhavina Patel stormed into the semifinals of women’s class 4 after defeating Borislava Peric of Serbia 3-0 in straight games with a score of 11-5, 11-6, 11-7.

The 34 year old started off strongly, winning the first game 11-5 in just five minutes and the second game 11-6 at blitzkrieg pace. She then went on to inflict the final blow on the reigning Paralympics champion by defeating Peric 11-7 in the final game in just six minutes to wrap up the quarter final clash.

Bhavina Patel has made history as she is now the first Indian para table tennis player to reach a semifinals. In her journey to the semi’s, Bhavina has now defeated the World number 2, 8 and 9 and stands a good chance of winning a medal.

Also read: Bhavina Patel advances to Tokyo Paralympics quarterfinals after defeating Brazil's Joyce de Oliveira 3-0
 

(Archery news) Tokyo Paralympics 2021 Live Update: In the Women's Individual Compound (Open Ranking Round) Sport Class Standing, Jyoti Baliyan finished 15th with a season best score of 671. In the first half she finished with a score of 333, with scores of 56, 56, 56, 55, 55, 55 in the first six sets. In the second set Jyoti improved as she finished with a score of 671, she shot with increasing accuracy in the last three sets with the last set being the best with a score of 58 that included four perfect 10’s.

Jyoti will next face Ireland’s Leonard Kerrie Louise in the elimination round which will be held on 29th August. Archers in the compound open and W1 categories shoot over a distance of 50 metres at targets. The qualifying round of the competition will see the archers shoot 72 arrows and then proceed to the eliminations.

Also read: Bhavina Patel advances to Tokyo Paralympics quarterfinals after defeating Brazil's Joyce de Oliveira 3-0

Tokyo, Aug 26 (Paralympic news) Swimmer Suyash Jadhav will miss Friday's 200m individual medley SM7 event in the Paralympic Games here as he is suffering from cold and sore throat.

The Indian contingent's chef de mission Gursharan Singh on Thursday said Jadhav is a bit under the weather and doctors have advised him not to compete on Friday. His COVID-19 test report is, however, negative.

"Jadhav has cold and sore throat. Doctors said he should take rest. So we decided he will not take part tomorrow. But he will be fine for his other two events," Singh told PTI.

Also read: Bhavina Patel defeats Megan Shackleton of Great Britain 3-1 to progress into the Round of 16

"His Covid report is negative," he added.

The 27-year-old Jadhav, whose two hands were amputated below the elbow at the age of 11 due to electrocution, will compete in two other events -- 100m breaststroke SB7 on September 1 and 50m butterfly S7 on September 3.

In the 2018 Asian Para Games in Jakarta, he won a gold in 50m butterfly S7 and a silver each in 200m individual medley SM7 and 50m free-style S7 events.

Swimmers in S7 class have limited leg function or are missing a leg or parts of both legs, or have amputations and cerebral palsy. 

News source: PTI

(Table tennis news) Tokyo Paralympics 2021 Live Update: Bhavina Patel continues her good form at the Tokyo Paralympics, advancing to the quarterfinals of the women’s singles Class 4 after defeating Brazil’s Joyce de Oliveira 3-0.

Despite not having the best of starts, Bhavina Patel showed once again her impressive capability of recovering from setbacks to pull back the game in her favor and win 12-10 in a game of great intensity and persistence due to long rallies.

Bhavina Patel was at her ruthless best in the second and third games which followed the trend of long rallies but ended 13-11 and 11-6 in favour of the 34 year old Indian paddler. Joyce de Oliveira never had the chance to make a comeback and Bhavina Patel continued her pursuit of a Paralympic medal by progressing to the quarterfinals.

Also read: Bhavina Patel defeats Megan Shackleton of Great Britain 3-1 to progress into the Round of 16
 

(Table Tennis news) Paralympic live update: Sonalben Manubhai Patel lost to South Korea's Lee Mi-gyu in Class 3 Group D Women's Singles at the Tokyo Paralympics. Her campaign ended with this result as she had lost her earlier match to two time Paralympic medallist Li Qian.

Also read: Bhavina Patel defeats Megan Shackleton of Great Britain 3-1 to progress into the Round of 16

Sonalben Patel started well as she came from 8-10 down to take the first game 12-10 under seven minutes. However Gyu Lee came back strong in the second game, making no mistake to win it 11-5. She went on to continue her dominating form by winning the next three games to eliminate Sonalben from the competition. The final scoreline after 30 minutes read 12-11, 5-11, 3-11, 9-11.

Tokyo, Aug 26 (Paralympics news) Afghanistan's two para-athletes, who were forced to pull out of the Tokyo Paralympics because of Taliban's takeover of their country, have been safely evacuated, the International Paralympic Committee (IPC) said but declined to comment on their whereabouts.

The two taekwondo athletes, Zakia Khudadadi and Hossain Rasouli, were due to compete at the Tokyo Paralympics but were forced out of the Games after the Taliban's takeover trapped them in their own country.

When asked about the athletes and the possibility they will compete at the Games, IPC spokesman Craig Spence said, "The situation hasn't changed." "We displayed the flag in the Opening Ceremony as a sign of solidarity. The two athletes are outside of Afghanistan now, they've been evacuated. We know where they are," he added at the daily press briefing.

Also read: Bhavina Patel defeats Megan Shackleton of Great Britain 3-1 to progress into the Round of 16

The Afghan athletes were forced to withdraw from the Games as all flights out of capital Kabul got cancelled after the Taliban seized control of the country.

Spence added, "Our priority at the moment is not to focus on sport, it's their health and wellbeing, and we're working with relevant people to ensure that.

"What's important is they're safe, and they are." Before the Games began, the IPC confirmed that the Afghan athletes would not be able to compete in Tokyo.

The Afghan flag, however, featured during Tuesday's opening ceremony as the IPC stood by the country.

IPC chief Andrew Parsons had said on Monday the Tokyo Paralympics opening ceremony would feature the flag of Afghanistan as a "sign of solidarity".

News source: PTI

Tokyo, Aug 26 (Paralympic news) Jane Karla Gogel and Lethicia Rodrigues Lacerda are one of the two parent-child duos competing at the Tokyo 2020 Paralympics and the younger one feels that the experience of participating alongside her mother is nothing short of magical.

What separates them from Greek father-and-son Lazaros Stefanidis and Leontios Stefanidis, who compete in athletics, is that this Brazilian mother-daughter pair competes in different sports.

Paddler Lacerda, 18, is delighted to receive some Paralympic tips from her mother, archer Jane Karla Gogel, who is also a former TT player.

Despite swapping her ping pong paddle for a bow and arrow, archer Gogel, 46, has been able to share some inside knowledge of her former sport with her table tennis-playing daughter.

Lacerda, making her Paralympic debut at Tokyo 2020, and faced former European champion Aida Dahlen of Norway on Wednesday with the benefit of advice from her mother, who competed regularly against the Norwegian.

"We had many tough battles against each other," Gogel told the games information system when asked about Dahlen.

"By knowing some of her weaknesses I could share them with Lethicia." Despite the parental tips, Rodrigues Lacerda lost 3-0 to the world No.3 in the women's singles class 8 but that did not dampen her spirits.

Also read: Bhavina Patel defeats Megan Shackleton of Great Britain 3-1 to progress into the Round of 16

"It's very special to be with my mum here," she said.

"We are both able to participate and share our emotions. Everything is very magical." The 18-year-old will next face Huang Wenjuan of China.

She said her mother, who is competing at her fourth Paralympics and her second as a para archer, is her best friend and has been her biggest influence.

"Maybe in the future I can try another sport in the Paralympics," the teenager said of following in her mother's footsteps.

"I like everything, but table tennis the most. I want to try sitting volleyball one day." Gogel is hopeful the pair can compete together at future Paralympic Games.

"In my mind, I'm going to compete in archery until I'm very old, or until my arms cannot do it any more," she said.

News source: PTI

(Table tennis news) Paralympic 2021 Live Update: 34 year old Indian tennis player Bhavina Patel has progressed to the knockouts of Women’s Singles Class 4 after defeating Great Britain’s Megan Shackleton 11-7, 9-11, 17-15, 10-7 at the Tokyo Metropolitan Gymnasium.

The Indian paddler was determined to not repeat yesterday’s showcase and finished the first game 11-7 in eight minutes despite Shackleton giving her a tough fight. The British table tennis star won the second game 11-9 and was well on her way to winning the third game after leading 11-10 until Bhavina Patel made a tremendous comeback to win 17-15 for a 2-1 lead.

There was little to separate the two in the last game as Shackleton was determined not to give up, leading by 10-7 at one stage with all indications pointing towards a decider. However, Bhavina Patel’s fighting spirit availed at the end to win 13-11 to successfully progress into the Round of 16.

Also read: Bhavina Patel falls to Zhou Ying in table tennis at the Tokyo Paralympics
 

New Delhi, Aug 25 (Paralympics news) Veteran Devendra Jhajharia and reigning world champion Sandeep Chaudhary were among five javelin throwers in a 12-strong Indian contingent that left for Tokyo on Wednesday to compete in the Paralympics.

The contingent also included two high jumpers -- Nishad Kumar and Ram Pal -- and discus thrower Yogesh Kathuniya.

One of the top medal prospects, Jhajharia had won the gold medal in Athens and Rio Paralympics.

The 40-year-old javelin thrower had rewritten his world record of 63.97m when he sent the spear to a distance of 65.71m in a qualifying event in June.

His main competition comes from compatriots Ajit Singh and Sundar Gurjar. With a little bit of luck, India could grab all three medals in the men's F-46 category, which is for athletes with arm deficiency, impaired muscle power or impaired passive range of movement in arms while competing in a standing position.

Also read: Bhavina Patel falls to Zhou Ying in table tennis at the Tokyo Paralympics

After Neeraj Chopra's historic performance at the Tokyo Olympics, javelin throwers have been in the limelight.

"Neeraj's gold medal has put the spotlight on javelin throwers and being the senior most of the lot, I can say this with assurance that after Tokyo Paralympics, javelin (throw) will be the second most popular game in this country after cricket," Jhajharia said.

Focus will also be on Chaudhary and Sumit Antil in the men's F64 category in which they are ranked world number one and two respectively. The F-64 classification is for athletes with a leg amputation, who compete with prosthetics in a standing position.

Track and field events begin on August 27. 

News source: PTI

(Table Tennis news) Paralympic live update: The Tokyo Paralympic campaign took off today as India’s Bhavina Hasmukhbhai Patel stumbled in her opening match to double Paralympic champion Zhou Ying in Group A Women’s singles class 4. Ying from China was quick right from the start and closed the match in three games. Bhavina did fight back in the second game but could not sustain her momentum as she lost the match in under 20 minutes.

Also read: China’s Li Qian defeats Sonalben Patel in table tennis opener at the Tokyo Paralympics

The first game even had a 13 shot rally as the Ying blazed past Bhavina in 5 minutes to take the game 11-3. In the second game, Bhavina put up a brave fight and at one point was leading 5-6 but she could not hold the former double Gold medallist for too long as the game ended with scores reading 11-9. In the third game Ying did not leave any chance for Bhavina to capitalize as she took the final game as Bhavina could only muster 2 points.
 

Tokyo, Aug 23 (Paralympics news): The best ever Olympics just went by for India and the country looks good for its best ever Paralympics with an unprecedented 54 inspirational athletes eyeing a medal haul that might just surpass the double digit figure for the first time at the showpiece, starting here on Tuesday.

The likes of star javelin thrower Devendra Jhajharia and high jumper Mariyappan Thangavelu -- both 2016 Rio Paralympics gold winners -- will lead the biggest ever contingent with India expecting at least 15 medals, including five gold.

India is competing in nine sports in the Paralympics, which is being held under strict safety and health protocols due to the COVID-19 pandemic that has led to few countries pulling out.

The expectation of unprecedented success would not be wide off the mark as at least four Indians are ranked top of the world while six are at number two and around 10 are at number three in global standings.

India has won 12 medals in total in Paralympics since it first took part in 1972 and if the projected success materialises, the country could be among the top 25 in the medal tally this time, as against 43rd in 2016 with 2 gold, 1 silver and 1 bronze.

With the government loosening its purse strings for para-athletes and many of them preparing well at various Sports Authority of India facilities across the country, the Paralympians look set to add to the euphoria of sporting success following the best ever medal haul in the Olympics which ended on August 8.

India secured seven medals, including one gold and two silver medals, during the Olympics.

Jhajharia, who lost his left hand due to electrocution as a child, is going strong even at 40 and is aiming for a hat-trick of gold medals in the F-46 category after finishing on top of podium in 2004 and 2016. He is current world record holder in the event.

F-46 classification is meant for athletes who have upper limb deficiency, impaired muscle power or impaired passive range of movement.

Mariyappan, who was permanent disabled at the age of five when a bus crushed his right leg below the knee, is another para athlete seeking to defend the gold he had won in 2016 in T63 high jump, though he is currently ranked world number 2.

He will also hold the country's flag during the opening ceremony on Tuesday.

World champion Sandeep Choudhary (F-64 javelin throw) is the third gold medal contender from the 24-strong para athletics team. He is world number one and world record holder also.

Other medal prospects from para-athletics are reigning world champion Sundar Singh Gurjar and Ajeet Singh (also in F-46) and Navdeep Singh (F41) -- all para-javelin throwers.

The Paralympic Committee of India is hoping to win 10 medals from para athletics.

Para-athletes are given a classification depending on the type and extent of their disability. The classification system allows athletes to compete against others with a similar level of ability.

Also read:  Tokyo Games is going to be our best outing at Paralympics, say PCI chief Deepa Malik

Badminton will make its debut at the Paralympic Games in Tokyo and India have some of the brightest medal prospects.

World No. 1 and multiple-time world champion Pramod Bhagat is a top gold medal contender in men's SL3 event.

World No. 2 shuttler Krishna Nagar (SH6) and Tarun Dhillon (SL4) are other para shuttlers who are expected to do well.

The experienced Parul Parmar, a two-time former world championship gold medallist, and young Palak Kohli (SL3-SU5), whose one hand did not develop properly at birth, will carry high hopes of returning with a medal in the women's category.

India is also banking on its shooters and archers to rise to the occasion in Tokyo.

In archery, India will have Rakesh Kumar and Shyam Sundar (compound), Vivek Chikara and Harvinder Singh (recurve) and woman archer Jyoti Baliyan (compound individual /mixed event).

The other sports Indians are participating in are Para Canoeing, Para Swimming, Para Powerlifting, Para Table Tennis and Para Taekwondo.

India's campaign begins from August 25 with para table tennis players Bhavina Patel and Sonal Patel in action.

As both are not strong contenders for a podium finish, India's first medal is expected to come on Friday when para archery events begin. Once para athletics events begin on Saturday, a medal rush is expected to start.

With the Paralympics -- set to be declared open by emperor Naruhito -- being held in the backdrop of surging COVID-19 cases in Tokyo and other parts of Japan, the health and safety protocols have been strict.

Just like in the Olympics, only six officials are allowed to take part in the opening ceremony on Tuesday and five athletes, including flag bearer Mariyappan, will form the 11 member Indian group.

The other athletes are discus thrower Vinod Kumar, javelin thrower Tek Chand and powerlifters Jaideep and Sakina Khatun.

The Indian contingent will be the 17th to enter the Olympic Stadium after Iran.

In view of the surging COVID-19 cases, fans have been banned from the Paralympics, just like the preceding Olympic Games, though the organisers are still trying to allow children in some venues.

The Olympics had seen more than 11000 athletes from 205 countries (plus Olympic Refugee Team) competing in 339 events in 33 sports.

The Paralympics will feature around 4500 athletes from 163 countries but competing in 540 events in 22 sports.

The number of events are more in Paralympics as there are different classifications depending on the level of disability.

News source: PTI 

New Delhi, Aug 18 (Paralympic news) The first batch of Indian athletes for the upcoming Tokyo Paralympics, including flag bearer Thangavelu Mariyappan left for the Games on Wednesday amid a warm send-off.

The eight-member group was accorded a send-off at the Indira Gandhi International Airport by officials of Sports Ministry, Sports Authority of India (SAI) and Paralympic Committee of India (PCI).

Along with Mariyappan, Tek Chand and Vinod Kumar were the other two athletes that took the early morning flight to Tokyo.

"The entire country, including the honourable prime minister and sports minister, are cheering for us today. Every athlete who is going to take part in the Paralympics is already a winner and I wish all of them good luck," said PCI president Deepa Malik while addressing the contingent.

Also read: Star para-javelin thrower Jhajharia says he was on verge of quitting in 2013

For the first time, accessible vehicles were provided by Svayam India, PCI's accessibility partners, for the commuting of wheelchair-bound athletes.

"These accessible vehicles are customised for the needs of not only our athletes but also for all people with reduced mobility. Our players are our pride and they have every right to travel with dignity," said Sminu Jindal, founder of Svayam India.

These accessible vehicles were used by athlete Tek Chand who travelled from Rewari, Haryana and by Malik, who reached the airport from Noida.

Another contingent of 14 members, including the president of PCI, will leave for the Japanese capital on Wednesday evening.

The Paralympics Games will begin in a week's time on August 24. India will start their campaign from August 25 with para table tennis where Bhavina Patel and Sonal Patel will be in action.

News source: PTI

New Delhi, Jul 12 (Olympics news) Puma India, part of the global sportswear giant, has signed 15 Olympic-bound Indian athletes and three para athletes for the upcoming national and international tournaments.

The move is part of the company's quest to "push boundaries and celebrate diversity in sports".

The brand has signed legendary boxer MC Mary Kom, sprinter Dutee Chand, boxer Pooja Rani, track and field athlete Tejinder Singh, shooter Manu Bhaker, swimmer Srihari Nataraj, hockey players Rupinder Pal Singh, Harmanpreet Singh, Mandeep Singh, Gurjant Singh, Savita Punia, Sushila Chanu, Navneet Kaur, Navjot Kaur, Vandana Katariya, Gurjit Kaur and Udita Duhan.

It has also tied up with para-athletes like shooter Avani Lekhara, table tennis champion Bhavina Patel and discus thrower Ekta Bhayan.

Abhishek Ganguly, managing director at Puma India & Southeast Asia, said, "As a brand, we strongly believe that being unique is a great strength and our unwavering commitment to inclusivity in sports is testament to this."

Also read: IOA ropes in meditation-tracking start up to work for mental well-being of Olympic-bound athletes

News source: PTI