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  Paralympic Games: Golden return for Devendra Jhajharia

Paralympic Games: Golden return for Devendra Jhajharia

PTI
Published : Sep 15, 2016, 1:11 am IST
Updated : Sep 15, 2016, 1:11 am IST

Javelin thrower Devendra Jhajharia scripted history by becoming the first Indian to clinch two gold medals at the Paralympic Games, after he broke his own world record to clinch top honours here.

India’s Devendra Jhajharia reacts after his last throw in the men’s javelin F46 final at the Paralympic Games. (Photo: AP)
 India’s Devendra Jhajharia reacts after his last throw in the men’s javelin F46 final at the Paralympic Games. (Photo: AP)

Javelin thrower Devendra Jhajharia scripted history by becoming the first Indian to clinch two gold medals at the Paralympic Games, after he broke his own world record to clinch top honours here.

The 36-year-old, who won his previous gold in the 2004 Athens Games, bettered his world mark in the men’s F46 event.

Jhajharia, whose previous best was 62.15 metres (achieved in the 2004 Games), threw the javelin to 63.97 metres at the Olympic Stadium.

Another Indian, Rinku Hooda, who also competed in the event, finished fifth with a personal best of 54.39 metres in six attempts, while Sundar Singh Gurjar didn’t start the event.

The Rajasthan-born Jhajharia lost his left hand when he was electrocuted while climbing a tree as an eight-year-old. But he continued to follow his dream and went on to achieve the Arjuna Award in 2004 and the Padma Shri in 2012, becoming the first Paralympian to receive the honour.

Jhajharia, who won the gold at the International Paralympic Committee’s Athletics World Championships at Lyon in 2013, last participated in the Paralympics 12 years ago as the F46 event did not feature in the 2008 and the 2012 editions.

Currently ranked third in the world, Devendra swelled India’s medal tally at Rio to four medals — two golds, a silver and a bronze.

‘Dad I toppped, now it’s your turn’ Jhajharia has revealed that a “deal” with his six-year-old daughter propelled him to win a record second gold medal.

Jiya, who would accompany Jhajaria to training in Rajasthan, struck a deal with her father that if she topped in the lower kindergarten exam, he would have to win a gold in Paralympics.

“She proudly phoned me to announce that ‘I’ve topped, now it’s your turn’, something that kept on echoing in my ear when I entered the field at the Olympic Stadium,” Jhajaria said.

“She would be the happiest. I will wait for her to wake up and speak to her,” he said.

Jhajharia, in fact stayed up whole night talking to his family and well wishers.

“Ab kya sona, ab hamein kuchh nahin hoga. Hum to Rashtriya Dhwaj ke saath celebration karenge (I won’t get sleep anymore. I will celebrate with the tricolour,” he said thanking every Indian.

Jhajharia falls under F46 classification which denotes F for field events and the number 45-47 is for “upper limb(s) deficiency, impaired muscle power or impaired range of movement”.

To keep himself in shape and injury free during this period, the Indian followed an intensive training as he rarely visited home, a small village in Churu district of Rajasthan. So much so that his two-year-old son Kavyan does not even recognise his father.

“He does not even know what a father is like. Only his mom tells him by showing my photo, that it’s papa. Hopefully I would be able to spend some time with them now.”

Location: Brazil, Rio de Janeiro