Sumit Antil & Bhagyashri Jadhav: 2024 Paris Paralympic Flag Bearer
Sport
5 min read
The Paralympic Committee of India has named Tokyo Paralympics gold medallist para-athletes Sumit Antil and Shot Putter Bhagyashri Jadhav as the Indian flag bearers for the opening ceremony of the 2024 Paris Paralympics Games, which will be held on 28 August 2024.
The 17th Summer Paralympics for disabled athletes will take place in Paris, France, from 28 August to 8 September 2024.
The International Paralympics Committee organises the Summer and Winter Paralympics games. Since the 2008 Beijing Summer Olympics, the Paralympics have been held shortly after the conclusion of the Summer Olympics. The 33rd Summer Olympics ended on 11 August 2024 in Paris.
Indian Flag Bearer at Opening Ceremony
Like the Olympics, the opening and closing ceremonies of the Paralympics Games involve two flag bearers—one male and one female.
Para-athlete Sumit Antil and Bhagyashri Jadhav will be the flag bearers at the opening ceremony of the 2024 Paris Paralympics.
25-year-old World Champion Sumit Antill won a gold medal in the javelin throw at the 2020 Tokyo Paralympics in the men’s F64 category. Sumit also holds the world record in the category.
39-year-old Bhagyashri Jadhav is a silver medallist in the women’s shot put event in the F34 category at the Asian Para Games.
She has also won a silver medal in women’s F34 shot put at the World Para Athletics Championships in May 2024.
Indian Contingent for the Paris Paralympics
Before the Paris Paralympics, India competed in the 11 edition of the Summer Paralympics. The first Summer Paralympic Games was held in the Italian capital city of Rome in 1960.
The Indian contingent consists of 84 athletes, including 32 women athletes. It is the largest contingent of Indian athletes to participate in a Summer Paralympics edition.
Indian athletes will compete in 12 sporting events, including para-cycling, para-rowing, and blind judo, which they will be participating in for the first time.
A total of 22 sports will be held at the Paris Paralympics.
Indian Medal Record at Summer Paralympics
- Before the start of the Paris Paralympics, India had won 31 medals- 9 gold, 12 silver, and 10 bronze.
- India's most successful Paralympics were the 2020 Tokyo Paralympics, where it won 19 medals—five gold, eight silver, and six bronze.
- Murlikant Petkar was the first Indian to win a medal in the Paralympics. He won a gold medal in the 1972 Heidelberg Games in the men’s 50m freestyle 3 event.
- Deepa Malik was the first female athlete to win a medal in Paralympics for India. She won a silver in the Women's shot put in the F53 category at the 2016 Rio Summer Paralympics.
- Avani Lekhara was the first Indian woman to win a gold medal in the Paralympics. She won a gold medal in the women's 10m air rifle shooting, standing SH1 category at the 2020 Tokyo Paralympics.
Mascot and Motto of the 2024 Paris Paralympics
- Mascot -Paralympic Phryge—It is based on the Phrygian cap, a historical symbol of liberty and freedom. Its colours were blue, white, and red, reflecting the colours of the French Flag.
- Motto-.Games Wide Open
