Palesha Goverdhan wins historic medal for Nepal at Paris 2024 Paralympics
Nepal’s Palesha Goverdhan made history in front of thousands of spectators at the Grand Palais on Friday, 30 August, becoming the first athlete from the mountainous Asian nation to win a medal at the Paralympic Games.
She faced Serbia’s Marija Micev in the first bronze medal match of the women’s K44 -57kg weight class of Para taekwondo. While it took the Nepalese taekwondoin two minutes to find the form that advanced her through to the bronze medal match, she finally found her footing, scoring kick-after-kick in the final minute of the bout against Micev.
The scene was one of pure, unbridled jubilation when the hooter sounded to proclaim the end of the match. It was a historic moment for both Goverdhan and Nepal. Her coaches raced onto the mat to embrace their nation’s first Paralympic medalist.
The trio wasted no time in draping a Nepalese flag around Goverdhan, circling the mat in a parade of honor before finally coming together for a group hug.
“It feels surreal,” said Goverdhan, still in a state of awe after her incredible victory.
“Most people dream, but don't put the work and effort to make it happen,” she continued. “I did. I gave my all, I worked consistently. I was focused and disciplined.” She added, “The dream that I saw when I was 10 years old finally became a real historical moment."
The history of the moment certainly wasn’t lost on Goverdhan. She came bitterly close to winning a bronze medal at the Tokyo 2020 Paralympic Games, finishing fifth after a loss in the bronze medal matches.
"It was my first Paralympics,” recounted Goverdhan. “I was just 18 at that time. I was still a newbie. I didn't know what it all was. Although I wasn't able to win a medal, I still fought really well.”
"At that time, I felt really bad,” explained the newly minted Paralympic bronze medalist. “When you lose, you just don't want to see yourself crying. But I knew. It happened once, and it will never happen again.”
Her prophecy reigned true, as she claimed sweet redemption in front of thousands of spectators at the Grand Palais during the Paris 2024 Paralympic Games, ending a two decade wait for Nepal’s first medal at the Paralympic Games.