India bagged its first gold medal today in the Paralympics 2016, being held at Rio de Janeiro. Not just that, India also won the bronze in the same category. Paralympian Mariyappan Thangavelu snagged the gold medal and Varun Bhati landed a bronze in the men's T42 High Jump event on day two of the Paralympic Games.
Thangavelu's gold was a result of the 1.89 metre jump, where has Bhati registered a 1.86 metre jump, also his personal best. The silver medal went to Sam Grewe of USA.
The Indian Express reported, "Just when it looked like India would have a gold and a silver to take home, the American cleared the hurdle of 1.86m to grab the top spot but the Indians also equalled the height to make it even."
NDTV reports: "T-42 is a disability sport classification for differently-abled track and field athletes with single 'above the knee' amputations or a disability that is comparable."
Twenty-year-old Thangavelu also holds the distinction of winning India its first gold in the high jump category. "He is also the third Indian to win a gold at Paralympics after Murlikant Petkar (Swimming, 1972 Heidelberg) and Devendra Jhajharia (Javelin Throw, 2004 Athens)," reports NDTV.
Here's a video that captured Thangavelu's brilliant jump.
Mariyappan Thangavelu's gold medal jump in Men's T42 High Jump #Paralympics pic.twitter.com/2KhLdMcBJD
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