Preethi Pal becomes first Indian woman to claim two medals at track and field events in Paralympics

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Preethi Pal on Sunday (September 1) scripted history by becoming the first Indian woman to claim two medals at track and field events in Paralympics. The 23-year-old came up with her personal best effort to finish third in the women's 200m T35 final, and bag her second bronze medal at Paris Paralympics 2024.

In fact, the only other Indian woman track and field medallist in Paralympics is former Paralympic Committee of India president Deepa Malik who won a silver in shot put -- a field event -- F53 category in 2016 Rio Games.

The 23-year-old Preethi also became only the second Indian woman to win two medals in a single Paralympics after shooter Avani Lekhara who won a gold and a bronze in Tokyo three years ago.

This is Preethi's second medal at the ongoing Paralympics after she had won bronze in the women's 100m T35 final earlier this week. The bronze won by Preethi was also India's second para-athletics medal in the Paris Games. Preethi's second bronze took India's medal tally to six.

On Friday, she had clinched India's first athletics medal in a Paralympics track event, winning a bronze in the women's T35 100m competition with a personal best time of 14.21 seconds.

T35 classification is meant for athletes who have coordination impairments such as hypertonia, ataxia and athetosis. All the athletics medals India had won since the 1984 edition of the Paralympics have come from the field events.

"A historic achievement by Preeti Pal, as she wins her second medal in the same edition of the #Paralympics2024 with a Bronze in the Women’s 200m T35 event! She is an inspiration for the people of India. Her dedication is truly remarkable," Prime Minister Narendra Modi wrote on X after Preethi won the historic bronze.

"From triumph to triumph, Preeti Pal has proven her extraordinary talent by winning her second medal in the same edition of the #Paralympics2024! Your run in the Women’s 200m T35 secured you a Bronze Medal, highlighting your dedication & excellence. Keep Shining, Proud of you Champ!" former sports minister Kiren Rijiju wrote.

Who is Preethi Pal?

Preethi Pal was born to a farmer’s family. Preethi faced significant physical challenges when she was born as her lower body was plastered for six days after birth.

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 came when she met Paralympic athlete Fatima Khatoon, who introduced her to para-athletics. With Fatima's support, Preethi competed in the state championships and national events from 2018 onwards.

She qualified for the Asian Para Games last year in China, where she finished fourth in both the 100m and 200m sprints. She moved to Delhi to train under coach Gajender Singh and fine-tuned her running techniques, leading to her winning a bronze medal each in 100m and 200m in World Para Athletics Championships.

She also received out of pocket allowance under Target Olympic Podium Scheme (TOPS) of the government and other financial assistance for training and competition.

(With Input From PTI)