Mariyappan Thangavelu, Varun Singh Bhati Make India Proud, Win Gold, Bronze In Rio Paralympics High Jump
Mariyappan Thangavelu and Varun Singh Bhati have made India proud by winning the gold medal and bronze medal in the men's high jump T42 category event at the Rio 2016 Paralympics today. Tamil Nadu's Mariyappan is now the third Indian to win a gold medal at the Paralympic Games.
AFP
In a closely contested men's high jump event for the athletes with lower-limb disability, three Indians were in the fray with Sharad Kumar being the third but he missed out on a podium finish and came fifth with a best leap of 1.77m.
A thrilling climax saw fortunes turn and it was ultimately Mariyappan's 1.89m high jump that secured him a gold medal. Sam Grewe of USA took the silver with a 1.86m jump and Varun Bhati settled for bronze as he couldn't better Grewe's leap.
AFP
Mariyappan had earlier this year said that the gold medal is not beyond his reach and he has now achieved that feat. When he was just 5 years old, while going to school, a bus swerved off the road and ran over his right leg. That left him with a permanent disability but Mariyappan kept his spirits high and continued to participate in athletics events, more so with able-bodied kids.
AFP
It was for the first time in India's history that two spots on the podium of any Olympic event went to the country. The national anthem was played for the first time in Rio 2016 as in the Olympics, PV Sindhu missed out on a gold and won a silver in the women's badminton event.
Here's a look at Mariyappan's gold-medal-winning jump.
Mariyappan Thangavelu's gold medal jump in Men's T42 High Jump #Paralympics pic.twitter.com/2KhLdMcBJD
¡ª Reddit Indian Sports (@redditIndSports) September 10, 2016
Both Mariyappan and Varun Bhati have now become overnight heroes and opened India's scoresheet at the 2016 Paralympics and the fans can't stop congratulating them.
What a great way to start your day
¡ª anshul chavhan (@anshul_chavhan) September 10, 2016
medals,national anthem
Congratulations #VarunSinghBhati and #MariyappanThangavelu pic.twitter.com/6YuO7KsuuX
National anthem in #Rio2016Paralympics. Thangavelu Mariyappan wins gold and Varun Singh Bhati bronze in high jump. Congrats.
¡ª Dept of Sports MYAS (@IndiaSports) September 10, 2016
#GOLD for Mariyappan Thangavelu & #BRONZE for Varun Singh Bhati in Men's High Jump T42 at #Rio2016 #Paralympics pic.twitter.com/ztVKQQyFJP
¡ª India at Sports (@indiaatsports) September 10, 2016
His leg crushed by a bus when he was 5.
¡ª Kush Sharma (@TheKushS) September 10, 2016
At 21, he wins GOLD at #Paralympics!
Mariyappan Thangavelu, you're a her¡ pic.twitter.com/PpB8kxSZXG
