Devendra Jhajharia Sets New World Record In Javelin Throw, Wins Second Gold For India At Paralympics
Devendra Jhajharia becomes the only Indian to win two gold medals in Paralympics. The 36-year-old bettered his own record 6397 metres at the Olympic Stadium. The Rajasthan born athlete with an amputated left hand was awarded the Arjuna award in 2004 and the Padma Shri in 2012.
Javelin thrower Devendra Jhajharia has created history by becoming the only Indian to win two gold medals in Paralympics.
AP
The 2004 Athens gold medalist on Wednesday bagged another gold, that too with a new world record.
The 36-year-old who is currently ranked third in the world bettered his own record 63.97 metres at the Olympic Stadium.
AP
Here's the moment when he broke the world record...
Retweeted IPC Athletics (@IPCAthletics):
¡ª Paralympic India (@paralympicindia) September 13, 2016
Devendra of @ParalympicIndia lets the javelin fly for a new F46 world... https://t.co/i7T1KFAnz1
The Rajasthan born athlete, with an amputated left hand, was awarded the Arjuna award in 2004 and the Padma Shri in 2012, becoming the first Paralympian to receive the honour.
He was electrocuted while climbing a tree when he was eight years old and his left hand had to be amputated. But that didn't deter him from pursuing his dreams. The track and field star won gold at the International Paralympic Committee's (IPC) Athletics World Championships in Lyon in 2013.
AP
With this India is currently at 31st position in the rankings with a tally of four medals-two golds, one silver and a bronze.
This is also India's best performance in Paralympics so far.
Bobins Abraham is the Assistant News Editor at Indiatimes. He has more than twelve years of experience in TV and digital journalism. An avid student of history and geopolitics, he is a conservationist and environmentalist at heart. He writes on environment, sustainability, human-animal conflict and more.
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