Stephen Hawking once said, "However difficult life may seem, there is always something you can do and succeed at." Our champions at the Tokyo Paralympics showed us that if we truly want something, we don't stop until we achieve our goal.
It is said that disability is a state of mind, and many have surely proved it. However, the mere idea of 'disabled' does not sway some people. One cannot imagine the anguish of a person who cannot use their entire body or do things that are ordinary things for others. The pain to live every day with more struggle than others is undoubtedly a lionhearted thing. However, even in the 21st century, we have people who look down on the specially-abled and set up boundaries for them, which they think are beyond their means which is just excruciating to see.
It was raining medals for India at the Tokyo Paralympics. India won as many as thirteen medals in over five days, including two gold, six silver, and five bronze, taking their tally to 13 medals. India will never be able to forget this edition of the Paralympics. We have already registered their most exemplary performance at the Paralympics, with the medal haul touching double figures for the first time in the history of India.
Even though she is paralysed from the waist down, Jaipur's rifle ace Avani won the gold. The 19-year-old shooter has created sporting history after becoming the first Indian woman to win a Paralympics gold medal. She won with a powerful score of 149.6 in the final women's 10m air rifle event at Tokyo on Monday. With this achievement, Lekhara has not only set a new Paralympic record but has also equalled the world record. Even Prime Minister Narendra Modi called her victory a "truly special moment for Indian sports."
Winning gold on the maiden appearance is difficult but not impossible, and Avani's performance is the perfect epitome of this.
Javelin thrower Sumit Antil clinched India's second gold at the ongoing Paralympics, shattering the men's F64 category world record multiple times during a spectacular Games debut performance. The 23-year-old from Sonepat in Haryana lost his left leg below the knee after he was involved in a motorbike accident in 2015. He sent the spear to 68.55m in his fifth attempt, which was the best of the day by quite a distance and a new world record. He is an inspiration for many youngsters in his village Khewra. That is not just because of his success and achievements in sports, but also for his persevering, never-say-die attitude. Even though he could not achieve his dream of becoming a wrestler, he put all his strength into athletics and never gave up, making his country proud!
India has a massive misconception that only those fighting for our country and citizens on the Indian border contribute to India's grandeur. However, we tend to forget that our social workers who wake up at 6 in the morning, whether there is rain or storm, they are there on the streets doing their duties.
The same is people's perception of disabled people; they are considered a burden to their families and country. However, the winners of the Paralympics broke these stereotypes and made our country proud, and boosted the confidence of every disabled person, making them believe in themselves and made them hold their heads up high.
We have won more medals in the Paralympics than in the Olympics. The athletes in the Paralympics are proving that they are genuinely specially-abled and not like the ordinary.
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