Paris Paralympics: U.P. girl Preethi wins India’s 1st medal in track event
The 23-year-old sprinter clinched a bronze in the women’s T35 100m event with a personal best time of 14.21 seconds.
The daughter of a farmer from Uttar Pradesh’s Muzaffarnagar, Preethi Pal won India’s first athletics medal in a track event at the Paralympics here on Friday. The 23-year-old sprinter clinched a bronze in the women’s T35 100m event with a personal best time of 14.21 seconds.
All athletics medals that India has won at the Paralympics since its 1984 edition have come from field events. Preethi opened India’s athletics medal account on the second day of the competitions. China’s Zhou Xia (13.58) and Guo Qianqian (13.74) won gold and silver, respectively.
Preethi had come to Paris after winning a bronze in the same event at the World Para Athletics Championships held in Kobe, Japan in May. Xia and Qianqian had won gold and silver there, too.
“More glory for India as Preeti Pal wins the bronze medal in the 100m T35 event at the #Paralympics2024. Congratulations to her. This success will certainly motivate budding athletes,” Prime Minister Narendra Modi wrote on X.
T35 classification is meant for athletes who have coordination impairments such as hypertonia, ataxia and athetosis.
“This was my first Paralympics. I’m yet to believe that I have won a medal,” she said. “I am proud that I have won India’s first track medal at the Paralympics.”
{{/usCountry}}“This was my first Paralympics. I’m yet to believe that I have won a medal,” she said. “I am proud that I have won India’s first track medal at the Paralympics.”
{{/usCountry}}Preethi will also compete in the T35 200m event, an event she won a bronze in at the Kobe event, at the Paralympics.
Born in a farmer’s family in Muzaffarnagar, Preethi faced significant physical challenges growing up. Weak legs and an irregular leg posture made her prone to various diseases.
She underwent various traditional treatments to strengthen her legs, including wearing calipers for eight years from the age of five. At 17, Preethi’s perspective began to change when she watched the Paralympic Games on social media. But her life-changing moment was when she met Paralympic athlete Fatima Khatoon, who introduced her to para-athletics.
With Fatima’s support, Preethi started competing in state championships and national events in 2018. She qualified for the Asian Para Games last year in China, and finished fourth in both 100m and 200m events. Later, she moved to Delhi to train under coach Gajender Singh who fine-tuned her running techniques.
She has received out-of-pocket allowance under Target Olympic Podium Scheme of the government and other financial assistance for training and competition.
