Paris, Aug 31 (FN Agency) Preethi Pal made history at the Paris 2024 Paralympics, becoming the first Indian athlete to secure a Paralympic medal in track events. On Friday, the 23-year-old clinched bronze in the women’s 100m T35 class, recording a personal best of 14.21 seconds. She finished behind China’s Zhou Xia and Qianqian Guo, who clocked 13.58 and 13.74 seconds, respectively. The T35 class includes athletes with coordination impairments such as hypertonia, ataxia, and athetosis. Pal’s achievement marked India’s third medal at these Games, following gold and bronze wins by Avani Lekhara and Mona Agarwal in the 10m air rifle shooting standing SH1 class earlier in the day.
Preethi qualified for the Paralympics after a bronze finish in the women’s 200m T35 at the World Para Athletics Championships in Kobe earlier this year. Reflecting on her historic performance at Stade de France, she expressed optimism about her future, stating, “Before coming to Paris, I hoped to repeat my World Championships performance. Now I’m aiming for a medal in the 200m.” Pal, who narrowly missed a medal at the Asian Para Games last year, credits her move to New Delhi for her improved performance. “Training with experienced para-athletes and learning about diet and other aspects has significantly enhanced my abilities,” she said. Preethi will next compete in the women’s 200m T35 class, with the final scheduled for Sunday.