Jhajharia outlines vision to secure 50 medals at 2036 Paralympics

Para sports has undergone a sea change in terms of perception and support in the last two decades and these changes together with continuous backing to athletes can power India to 50 medals in the 2036 edition reckons the legendary Devendra JhajhariaFrom winning just one Paralympics gold 20 years ago to clinching five yellow metals in 2021 para sports in India has come a long wayIndia are bidding for the 2036 Olympics and Paralympic Games and Paralympic Committee of India PCI President Jhajharia is upbeat that by then India will have the potential to break into top10 in the medal tallyJhajharia the most decorated Paralympian of the country won his first Paralympics gold in the 2004 Athens edition in F46 javelin throw event He added another gold in Rio 2016 and a silver in Tokyo in 2021The F46 classification is for athletes with arm deficiency impaired muscle power or impaired passive range of movement in armsWe won 19 medals in Tokyo now we have a target of 25 in Paris In 2028 Los Angeles we can aim for more than 30 medals and 40 plus in 2032 And by 2036 when hopefully India hosts Paralympics we can win 50 medals and be in top10 the 43yearold Jhajharia told PTI in an interviewWe have the vision we will progress steadily We have started identifying talented junior players so that they can be trained for 2028 and 2032 Paralympics through CSR Corporate Social Responsibility he addedIndia have sent a 84member team the largest ever at the Paris Paralympics to be held from August 28 to September 8Jhajharia who was elected as PCI chief in March said there has been a tremendous change in para sports in the country in the last 20 years and in the way people accepted speciallyabled people taking up to sportThere was a time when people asked me why I was taking up javelin throw why I was wasting my time and life But now when a para athlete lifts a javelin people say go and try to become a Sumit Antil or Devendra JhajhariaAlso ReadKey chain to ward off evil coach Deepali behind Swapnils Olympic gloryThere has been a lot of changes in this country in para sports the way people see to it and the way the government treats parasports in the same way as ablebodied sportsIn 2004 Athens Paralympics I competed with money from my own pocket Now our para athletes enjoy the same world class facilities enjoyed by the ablebodied athletes and they also get to train and compete abroad India won 19 medals 5 gold 8 silver and 6 bronze in Tokyo Paralympics for a 24th place in the tally and Jhajharia predicted that the country will win more than 25 medals at Paris Paralympics 2024 and finish in top20 in the tallyWe had 54 participants in Tokyo and now we have 84 in Paris the largest ever and our target in Paris is 25 medals and may be doubledigit gold out of that though I feel the colour of the medal is not that important than winning it Paraathletics officials said the country will win at least 12 medals and minimum five gold in ParisAsked about this Jhajharia said Out of Indias 84 participants at Paris Paralympics 2024 38 are paraathletes and naturally they will win more medalsThere is a reason for paraathletes doing extremely well at global level We are taking part and doing well in several topclass international events whether its Grand Prix events or World Championships Jhajharia who is leaving for Paris on Sunday will not be a part of the Indian contingent as a paraathlete but as an official and he became nostalgic recollecting his last Games in Tokyo three years agoWhen I see a player throwing javelin I suddenly become a player again When Sumit Antil was throwing javelin the other day I was having a different feeling inside that should I also start javelin throw againWith agency inputs