Exclusive: Para athlete Yogesh Kathuniya aims to breach 50 meter mark in F-56 discus throw category

New Delhi, Sep 15: India para-athlete Yogesh Kathuniya made the country proud with his silver medal at the Tokyo Paralympics 2020 in the F-56 discus throw. The Delhi-based athlete didn't stop after his heroics in Tokyo and went on to create a world record at the Indian Open Para Athletics Grand Prix with a throw of 48.34 meters and also bagged a gold medal.

Recognising his achievements on the track and field, Sony Sports Network have produced a show titled Mission Made Possible and featured the 25-year-old's journey in one of its 10-episode series on para-athletes in the country.

Kathuniya - who picked up the sport in 2017 during graduation at Kirori Mal College in Delhi University - now aims to become the first para-athlete in the category to breach the 50-meter barrier and add another feather in his illustrious cap.

In an exclusive interaction with MyKhel, the discuss thrower shed light upon his journey, his achievements and the targets he's set in mind before the 2024 Paralympics in Paris.

Here are the excerpts:

MyKhel: How did your life change after that historic silver medal at Tokyo Paralympics last year?

Yogesh Kathuniya: A lot has changed after the silver medal in Tokyo Paralympics. Earlier, we had to explain that we are no different from regular athletes (as we are also putting in the same amount of effort to achieve our goal and make the country proud) but now that boundary is getting porous. People have started recognising and appreciating para-athletes now. We are now being invited as guests at events and para-athletes are starting to get the respect they rightly deserve. This has in a way opened a way for young para-athletes as people are more accepting nowadays which wasn't the case, say five years back.

MK: You also received the Arjuna Award last year. What does it mean to you?

YK: It was like a dream come true moment for me. We used to read about such awards in our textbooks but when I actually won it, it really felt special. It has helped me get grants and recognition from central and state governments as well.

MK: Sony Sports Network came up with a 10-episode series on para-athletes. What was your reaction to this? What will the viewers get to know about you and the hardships a para-athlete faces?

YK: I have never seen something like this in the past. Sony Sports Network and Shirdi Sai Baba Foundation have come together to produce this documentary series. I am sure people will get to know about the struggles, downfalls and hardships a para-athlete faces in his/her life. They might get inspired by the life and journey of the para-athletes. So, it felt nice that people are getting motivated by us.

MK: When and how did you decide to pick up the discus throw?

YK: I picked up discuss throw in 2017 when I was studying at Kirorimal College in Delhi. My seniors suggested I should pick up para-sport. So, I decided to give it a try to improve my physical fitness and the first thing that I saw was a discus. I found it fascinating and started working on it, the coach helped me with the technique and fine-tune my skills. Eventually, in 2018, I got to participate in my first international competition in Berlin.

It was there when I qualified for the Asian Games 2018. So, back then participating in the Asiad seemed a big achievement for me. I finished fourth there but upon my arrival, I decided to take my game to the next level. The hunger to win medals started then and I didn't look back ever since. In the 2019 World Championships, I won a bronze and also secured the Paralympic qualification. That performance helped me fetch sponsors and a good coach. Shirdi Sai Baba Foundation helped me a lot and they are going to sponsor me till 2024.

MK: Do you witness any change in people's attitude towards para-athletes or are they still looking at specially-abled athletes with pity?

YK: The perception is changing. It does take some effort to make the sponsors understand our sport but once they see us train and witness our passion they come forward to help us. Also, the expenses on a para-athlete are higher because we need world-class prosthetics and training equipment which is quite expensive, so we need sponsors. But things are changing for good. We are not looked at with pity now. I believe by the 2024 Paralympics, things would have changed further.

MK: What are your speculations for track and field events, keeping Paris 2024 in mind?

YK: I think the overall attitude of people towards athletics has changed, even the youngsters are getting inclined towards the sport. I believe there is a big scope in athletics (track and field) in our country because it is far cheaper than the other sports, where you need expensive gear. Hence, there is a rise in the number of athletes and the future looks bright because of the level of competition in every sport is increasing.

MK: You created a world record at the Indian Open para athletics Grand Prix. What are your future plans now?

YK: No one in the world has breached the 48-meter barrier in the discus throw, in seated throw because it is far more difficult than standing throw, for obvious reasons. The rules and regulations in seated throw change a lot. The previous world record in seated throw was 46.68m and I broke that with a throw of 48.34m. So my target is to breach the 50m mark.