World champion Sachin Khilari wins silver in men’s shot put (F46) in Paralympics

PARIS — World champion Sachin Sarjerao Khilari clinched a silver in men’s shot put F46 event with an Asian record distance of 16.32m as the country’s track-and-field athletes continued their unprecedented medal-winning run in the Paralympic Games here on Wednesday.

The 34-year-old Khilari achieved his best throw of the day in his second attempt to better his own Asian record of 16.30m which he set while winning gold in the World Para-Athletics Championships in Japan in May.

However, the effort, which was also his personal best, was not enough for the top honour as Greg Stewart of Canada defended his Tokyo Paralympics gold with a throw of 16.38m. Luka Bakovic of Croatia took the bronze with 16.27m.

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Khilari’s silver is the 11th medal from para-athletics in the ongoing Games and took India’s overall tally to 21, including three gold.

Stewart had finished second to Khilari in the World Para-Athletics Championships in Kobe in May, and the tables were turned at Stade de France on Wednesday.

F46 classification is for athletes with arm deficiency, impaired muscle power or impaired passive range of movement in arms, with athletes competing in a standing position.

“I had wanted to win the gold medal, but it did not happen. It’s my best distance but I am not satisfied. I feel I could have done better. It was not my day,” Khilari said after winning the silver medal.

“It was a tough competition and Greg Stewart is a great player. I made small mistakes in my technique. I will work harder and I hope to beat him next time.”

Late on Tuesday night, Indians won silver and bronze in both men’s high jump T63 and javelin throw F46 after Deepthi Jeevanji’s bronze in the women’s 400m T20 category.

Sharad Kumar and Mariyappan Thangavelu won silver and bronze respectively in the men’s high jump T63 while Ajeet Singh and Sundar Singh Gurjar took the second and third sports in the javelin throw F46 final.

On Wednesday, Khilari was leading at the end of the second round but Stewart surged ahead with his third throw of 16.34m before improving further in his fifth and penultimate attempt of 16.38m.

Other Indians in the fray, Mohd Yasser (14.21m) and Rohit Kumar (14.10m) finished eighth and ninth respectively.

American Joshua Cinnamo, who holds the world record of 16.80m, was fourth with 15.66m.

A mechanical engineering degree holder, Khilari, who had also won a gold in last year’s Asian Para Games in China, has an impaired left hand.

Hailing from a farming family at Karagani village in Maharashtra’s Sangli district, Khilari met with an accident during his school days. The injury resulted in gangrene of the skin on his elbow and muscle atrophy. Even after several surgeries, his arm never recovered.

He also lost his mother when he was young.

Despite all these setbacks, he took up javelin while he was studying to become an engineer. A shoulder injury during competition forced him to switch to shot put.

Khilari was introduced to para sports in 2015 and later met well-known coach Satayanarayana who supported him in improving his game.

He also worked as a visiting faculty member at various institutions, assisting students in their UPSC and Maharashtra Public Service examination preparations.

The previous best show by India’s track and field contingent in a single Paralympics was in Tokyo when it won one gold, five silver and two bronze medals.

With 11 medals, including a gold from star javelin thrower Sumit Antil, the para athletes have bagged more than half of the country’s total medals.

The number of gold is, however, set to be lower than what the officials had hoped to win this time.