Paris Paralympics: Para-archers Harvinder Singh, Pooja Jatya advance to QFs of Mixed Team Recurve Open

Indian para-archers Harvinder Singh and Pooja Jatyan advanced to the quarterfinals of the Mixed Team Recurve Open at the ongoing Paris Paralympics 2024 on Thursday.

The Indian pair defeated Amanda Jennings and Taymon Kenton-Smith of Australia in a shoot-off. They will either face hosts (France) or Poland in the last eight.

Earlier on Wednesday, Harvinder secured a historic gold medal for the country at the ongoing marquee event becoming the first-ever Indian to have won a medal in the sport across both the Olympics and Paralympics.

In the gold medal clash of the individual recurve para-archery against Poland's Lukasz Ciszek, Harvinder won 6-0.

He also secured a medal in two successive Paralympics, having won a bronze medal in the recurve para-archery at the Tokyo Paralympics 2020.

Harvinder's success marked India's second medal in archery at the ongoing Paris Paralympics. The Indian archery pair of Rakesh Kumar and Sheetal Devi clinched the bronze medal in the mixed team compound event.

On the other hand, Pooja went down fighting against China's Wu Chunyan in the quarterfinals of the Women's Individual Recurve Open at the ongoing Paris Paralympics 2024. She lost the quarterfinal clash 4-6 against the Chinese opponent on Tuesday.

Para-athlete Sachin Khilari clinched the silver medal in the men's shot put F46 final at the ongoing Paris Paralympics. Sachin secured the second spot with a 16.32-metre throw, which is also the area best (AB). However, the Indian athlete was unlucky to miss the top spot after getting short of a 0.6m.

On Monday and Tuesday, the Indian contingent won 13 medals for the country, jumping the medal tally to a record 20 consisting of three gold, seven silver and 10 bronze medals.

The Indian contingent has now added 24 medals to its growing tally (five gold, nine silver, and ten bronze) and will have an opportunity to further extend its record medal haul in a single edition of the Paralympics. India is ranked 15th in the medal tally and with more days left, they have a chance to add plenty more.

In the Tokyo edition (August 24 - September 5, 2021), India recorded its best-ever medal haul with a tally of 19, including five gold, eight silver and six bronze medals. (ANI)