While in Summer Olympics, India never won a gold medal in track and field event it was proud moment for the Indians when Mariyappan Thangavelu won gold medal in Men’s T42 High Jump event in Paralympics. For the first time in track & field arena of 2016 Summer Games, the Indian national anthem was played when Thangavelu made the best jump of 1.89m. No idea what facilities Thangavelu had but he is the superstar India has been waiting for, during the Rio 2016 Summer Games.
Varun Bhati also won the bronze medal in same event by scoring his best mark of 1.86m, Silver went to USA’s Sam Grewe who also scored the same mark of 1.86m. It was extraordinary performance by Thangavelu and Varun to prove that even if there is nothing, light dawns for those who believe. The second day of Paralympics game gave India its first medal of games and medal opening with record.
The high jump competition was getting tough when six athletes cleared 1.74m mark in their first eight attempts. It was in the 10th attempt that Mariyappan cleared 1.77m along with Polan’s Lukasz, China’s Zhiqiang and Kumar. It was a nail biting finale when Mariyappan honored all Indians by winning the gold medal. I don’t know if there will be welcome for these boys with flowers or they will get national recognition or not but one thing is for sure that they are speaking their own story of coming out from darkness of life to shine like a gold.