Preethi Pal has etched her name in history at the Paris 2024 Paralympics by becoming the first Indian athlete to secure a Paralympic medal in track events. On Friday, the 23-year-old para-athlete achieved this remarkable feat by earning a bronze in the women’s 100m T35 class. Preethi Pal recorded a personal best of 14.21 seconds, finishing behind China’s Zhou Xia and Qianqian Guo, who clocked in at 13.58 seconds and 13.74 seconds, respectively.

The T35 classification includes athletes who experience coordination impairments, including conditions such as hypertonia, ataxia, and athetosis. This bronze medal represents India’s third medal at the Paris 2024 Paralympics; earlier in the day, Avani Lekhara claimed gold, while Mona Agarwal secured bronze in the 10m air rifle shooting standing SH1 class.

Preethi qualified for her first Paralympic Games by winning a bronze medal in the women’s 200m T35 event at the World Para Athletics Championships held in Kobe, Japan, earlier this year. After her historic race at the Stade de France, Preethi stated, “Before I came to Paris, I aspired to medal as I did at the World Championships; having secured the bronze, I believed I could achieve success at these Paralympics. I now aim to earn a medal in the 200m event.”

Following her fourth-place finish at the Asian Para Games in China the previous year, Preethi noted that relocating her training base to New Delhi had significantly influenced her performance. She expressed, “I am now training with many strong and experienced para-athletes. Although I finished fourth at the Asian Para Games, the intervening two years have resulted in my achievement of a Paralympic medal. This move has notably enhanced my abilities as a runner, allowing me to learn more about nutrition and other training aspects.”

As she prepares for her next competition in the women’s 200m T35 class, scheduled for Sunday, Preethi Pal embodies the perseverance and spirit of athletes competing on the world stage. Her accomplishment not only highlights her personal achievements but also serves to inspire future generations of athletes in India and beyond.

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