New Delhi: Harvinder Singh has etched his name in history by becoming the first Indian to win a gold medal in archery at the Paralympics. On September 4, 2024, Harvinder clinched gold in the men’s individual recurve event at the Paris Paralympics, defeating Poland’s Lukasz Ciszek in a flawless final, with a score of 6-0.
Earlier in the day, Harvinder showcased his resilience and skill by making a remarkable comeback in the semi-finals. Trailing 1-3 against Iran’s Mohammad Reza Arab Ameri, he turned the match around to secure a 7-3 victory, thus becoming the first Indian archer to reach the final in either the Olympics or Paralympics. His journey to the gold medal also saw him defeating Hector Julio Ramirez from Colombia, Setiawan Setiawan from Indonesia, and Tseng Lung-Hui from Chinese Taipei in the earlier rounds.
Harvinder’s final match against Ciszek was nothing short of spectacular. He displayed precision and composure, shooting four perfect 10s and five near-perfect 9s across three sets, securing India’s first gold in archery at the Paralympic Games.
This victory marks India’s fourth gold and 22nd overall medal at the Paris Paralympics, propelling the nation to the 15th position in the medal tally. Harvinder Singh’s historic win adds to India’s best-ever performance at the Paralympics, as the country continues to accumulate record-breaking medals with a strong possibility of a top 20 finish.
🇮🇳🔥 𝗛𝗔𝗥𝗩𝗜𝗡𝗗𝗘𝗥 𝗛𝗜𝗧𝗦 𝗚𝗢𝗟𝗗! Absolutely brilliant from Harvinder Singh as he claims the gold medal following a victory over 🇵🇱's Lukasz Ciszek in the final of the men's individual recurve open event. This is India's first Paralympic gold medal in archery and also… pic.twitter.com/XxtIuPZoxc
— Sportwalk Media (@sportwalkmedia) September 4, 2024
A very special Gold in Para Archery!
Congratulations to Harvinder Singh for winning the Gold medal in the Men's Individual Recurve Open at the #Paralympics2024!
His precision, focus and unwavering spirit are outstanding. India is very happy with his accomplishment.… pic.twitter.com/CFFl8p7yP2
— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) September 4, 2024