NEW DELHI, July 20: India can win a record-breaking half a dozen medals in para sports in the Glasgow Commonwealth Games beginning on Thursday, Paralympic Committee of India (PCI) President Devendra Jhajharia said on Monday.
Jhajharia said despite events like para table-tennis have been excluded in the scaled down Games, India will produce a record breaking performance in para sports in the quadrennial multi-sport event.
“Our para sports athletes will showcase a record breaking performance in the Glasgow CWG. I am very sure about that. We can win at least 5-6 medals,” Jhajharia said at the send-off ceremony of the 28-strong India para-sports team for the Glasgow CWG.
The Indian para contingent will compete across five disciplines at the Glasgow Commonwealth Games. The team comprises 11 para athletes, seven para powerlifters, five para swimmers, one from para track cycling and four from women’s wheelchair basketball (3×3).
The team is leaving for the Scottish capital on Monday night.Majority of the medals are expected to come from para-athletics.
Since making its Commonwealth Games debut in 2002, Since the introduction of para-sports in the CWG in 2002 edition in Manchester, India has won a total of eight medals — two gold, two silver and four bronze.The 2022 Birmingham Games was the most productive one for Indian para sports with Sudhir and Bhavina Patel winning a gold each in para powerlifting and para table tennis respectively. Sonalben Patel added a bronze in para table tennis.
India’s para sports movement has witnessed remarkable growth over the past two decades, with the athletes consistently delivering outstanding performances at the Paralympic Games, Asian Para Games, World Championships and other major international competitions.Besides Jhajharia, the ceremony was also graced by Haryana Sports Minister Gaurav Gautam.
The Indian contingent is being supported by M3M Foundation. (PTI)
