Preethi Pal wins India’s first track medal at Paralympics with bronze in 100m

Preethi Pal made history at the Paris 2024 Paralympics, becoming the first Indian athlete to win a Paralympic medal in track events by securing a bronze in the women’s 100m T35 class on Friday.

The 23-year-old Indian para-athlete recorded a personal best timing of 14.21s, finishing behind People’s Republic of China’s Zhou Xia and Qianqian Guo, who clocked 13.58s and 13.74s, respectively.

The T35 class is for runners with coordination impairments such as hypertonia, ataxia and athetosis.

This was India’s third Paralympic medal at Paris 2024. Earlier in the day, Avani Lekhara and Mona Agarwal won gold and bronze, respectively, in the 10m air rifle shooting standing in SH1 class.

Preethi qualified for her maiden Paralympics by winning a bronze medal in the women’s 200m T35 event at the World Para Athletics Championships in Kobe, Japan, earlier this year.

“Before I came to Paris, I hoped to get a medal as in the worlds - I got the bronze medal, so I thought I could do it at these Paralympics,” Preethi said after her historic run at Stade de France. “Now I hope to get a medal in the 200m.”

Preethi, who missed out on a medal at the Asian Para Games in China last year, said moving her training base to New Delhi proved to be decisive.

“I am (now) training with many strong and experienced para athletes…At the Asian Para Games I was fourth but two years on I got a Paralympics medal.

“The move has improved me so much as a runner, learning about diet and other things.”

Preethi will compete in the women’s 200m T35 class. The final is scheduled on Sunday.