The Tokyo Paralympics 2020 is set to take on the stage. Starting on 24th August, and ending on 5th of September, the games are anticipated a lot with the Indian contingent being the biggest to date! With just about a few days to go, let us look at the Paralympic games’ history and know the athletes who will represent India.
History of the Games
The Paralympic Games is an event that is specifically for specially-abled people! The history of the Paralympic Games dates back to 1948. It was Dr. Ludwig Guttman who organized the first competition for wheelchair athletes. At that time, the people called it Stoke Mandeville Games. This event included 16 injured men and women. These people participated in archery.
Later, the Stoke Mandeville Games transformed into the present-day Paralympic Games. However, the first edition of the games took place in Rome in 1960. Then, 400 athletes with different disabilities and impairments participated in the event. Held every four years, Paralympic Games have become a symbol of determination, hopes, and dreams!
India At The Tokyo Paralympics 2020
The Indian contingent saw its best-ever performance at the Summer Olympics in Tokyo in 2020. Now, the Indian contingent is all set to take on the Paralympic stage! In the Paralympics too, India is sending its biggest ever contingent! Though India has participated in every Paralympic Games since 1984. However, India had debuted as a nation in the 1968 Paralympic Games.
This time 54 athletes are contesting in 9 events! The events include archery, para-canoeing, athletics, badminton, etc. India has made Mariyappan Thangavelu, the last edition’s Gold medalist high-jumper as the flag-bearer.
Some of the medal hopes for India include- Mariyappan T, Soman Rana, Devendra Jhajhariya, Bhavina Patel, Parul Parmar, Suhas Yathiraj, etc.
It will be interesting to witness another 10 days of sports action with stories of bravery and determination attached to every athlete!
Stay tuned to Akashbaani for more information!
Also Read:
16 Indian Startups Selected By Google for startups Accelerator
Tokyo Olympics Day-10: Women’s Hockey Team Makes History, Into Semis
Tokyo Olympics Day-15: History created, Neeraj comes back with first-ever Athletics Gold Medal
One Comment