Paris Paralympics Day 4 Highlights: Nishad Kumar Gets High Jump Silver, Preethi Pal Clinches 200m Bronze Murgesan, Suhas Nitesh In Badminton Final

Today, shuttler Mandeep Kaur will kickoff India's action with her Women’s Singles SL3 Quarterfinal match at 12:00 PM IST. Following her, Palak Kohli will compete in the Women’s Singles SL4 Quarterfinal. At 1:00 PM, Avani Lekhara and Sidharta Babu will begin their shooting action in the Mixed 10m Air Rifle Prone SH1 Qualification. For a complete schedule of Paris Paralympics Day 4, check HERE

12:00 - Women’s Singles SL3 Quarterfinal - Mandeep Kaur vs Mariam Eniola Bolaji (NGR)

Not before 12:50 - Women’s Singles SL4 Quarterfinal - Palak Kohli vs Khalimatus Sadiyah (INA)

Not before 13:40 - Women’s Singles SU5 Quarterfinal - Manisha Ramadass vs Toyoda Mamiko (JPN)

Not before 17:00 - Women’s Singles SH6 Quarterfinal - Nithya Sre Sumathy Sivan vs Oliwia Szmigiel (POL)

20:10 - Men’s Singles SL3 Semifinal - Nitesh Kumar vs Daisuke Fujihara (JPN)

Not before 21:00 - Women’s Singles SL3 Semifinal - Mandeep Kaur vs Xiao Zuxian (CHN) (Subject to qualification)

Not before 21:50 - Men’s Singles SL4 Semifinal - Suhas Yathiraj vs Sukant Kadam

Not before 22:40 - Women’s Singles SL4 Semifinal - Palak Kohli vs Leani Ratri Oktila (INA) (Subject to qualification)

Not before 00:20 - Women’s Singles SH6 Semifinal - Nithya Sre Sumathy Sivan vs Lin Shuangbao (CHN) (Subject to qualification)

Not before 02:00 - Women’s Singles SU5 Semifinal - Thulasimathi Murugesan vs Manisha Ramadass/Mamiko Toyoda (JPN)

India extended its medal tally to five with Rubina Francis securing a bronze in the Women’s 10m Air Pistol SH1 P2 on the third day of the Paris Paralympics 2024.

China leads the standings at the Para Games 2024 with 42 medals, followed by Great Britain with 25. Nearly 50 medal events were held yesterday, with Athletics and Swimming contributing significantly -- 18 and 15 winners, respectively.

Check all the medal winners of Paris Paralymics Day 3 here.

Avani Lekhara's pursuit of medal glory at the Paris Paralympics 2024 extends beyond her gold in the Women’s 10m Air Rifle Standing. She is set to compete in two more events:

• Mixed 10m Air Rifle Prone SH1 Qualification: Scheduled for September 1, Sunday, at 1 PM IST, alongside veteran Sidhartha Babu.

• Women’s 50m Rifle 3 Positions SH1 Qualification: Set for September 3, Tuesday, at 1 PM IST. Mona Agarwal, who also won a medal (Bronze) in the Women’s 10m Air Rifle Standing SH1, will join Avani in this event.

Preethi Pal of India won bronze in the Women's 100m T35 event and became the first para-athlete to win a medal in track in the Paralympics

Her next event is at 23:27, Women’s 200m - T35 Final.

Indian shuttler Mandeep Kaur is competing against Mariam Bolaji of Nigeria in the SL3 Women’s Singles Quarterfinals at La Chapelle Arena, Court 1. Currently, the Nigerian has taken the lead, winning the first game 21-8.

In Badminton, India is poised for up to six medals today, with one already confirmed. The Men’s Singles SL4 Semifinal features Suhas Yathiraj vs. Sukant Kadam, guaranteeing at least a silver medal for India.

Check the medal prospect of India at the Paris Paralympics Day 4 HERE.

Mandeep Kaur loses her SL3 Women’s Singles Quarterfinals match at the hands of Bolaji 21-8, 21-9 that lasted for only 23 minutes.

Palak Kohli's Women's Singles SL4 Quarterfinal Match is underway. The Indian is up against Khalimatus Sadiya of Indonesia and currently trailing in the first game 19-21. There is now a plenty of action left in the second game, which could change the momentum in Kohli's favor.

And, Palak Kohli, despite giving a tough battle could not win the Women's Singles SL4 Quarterfinal Match against the Indonesian opponent Sadiyah, losing the match by a scoreline of 19-21, 15-21.

Avani Lekhara and Sidhartha Babu have started their R3 Mixed 10m Air Rifle Prone SH1 Qualification event. The Indian shooters are performing strongly so far—fingers crossed for a great outcome!

score:

first series - Avani - 10.7, 10.5, 10.3, 10.9, 10.7, 10.5, 10.4, 10.6, 10.5, 10.6 (Total - 105.7)

Sidhartha - 10.5, 10.9, 10.1, 10.7, 10.2, 10.2, 10.6, 10.4, 10.3, 10.7 (Total - 104.6)

Avani Lekhara and Sidhartha Babu are at 15th and 21th place as of now with the fifth series.

Score:

Fifth and penultimate series, Avani - 10.0, 10.5, 10.4, 10.7, 10.5, 10.7, 10.7, 10.6, 10.0, 10.7 (Total - 104.8)

Sidhartha - 10.5, 10.6, 10.4, 10.3, 10.4, 10.1, 10.8, 9.9, 10.1, 10.5 (Total - 103.6)

India's third badminton event on the fourth day of Paris Paralympics, is featured by Manisha Ramadass who is in action in the Women’s Singles SU5 Quarterfinal match against Japan’s Mamiko Toyoda. The Indian has taken the first game with a score of 21-13.

The R3 Mixed 10m Air Rifle Prone SH1 Qualification ended in disappointment for Indian shooters Avani Lekhara and Sidhartha Babu, who finished 11th and 28th, respectively.

Avani, the R2 Women’s 10m Air Rifle SH1 champion, narrowly missed the final today by just 1.0 point, scoring a total of 632.8.

Meanwhile, at the Stade de France India's Rakshitha Raju is in action in Women's 1500m - T11 Round 1 Heat 3.

Manisha Ramadass secured her place in the Women’s Singles SU5 semifinals with a victory over her Japanese opponent, winning 21-13, 21-16. With this win, India confirm a medal in the event.

The Women’s Singles SU5 semifinal will see an all Indian battle with Ramadass taking on fellow Indian Thulasimathi Murugesan.

India’s pursuit of success in para athletics today took a hit as Rakshita Raju finished last in Heat 3 with a time of 5:29.92, missing out on the final.

However, next up in action is Rangoli Ravi who will compete in the Men’s Shot Put F40 Final at around 3:13 PM.

The poor water quality of the Seine River has caused another disruption at the Paris 2024 Games. All 11 triathlon events scheduled for today have been postponed and are now rescheduled for Tuesday, September 2. However, this too is subject to the forthcoming water tests complying with the established World Triathlon thresholds for swimming.

Indian shooter Sriharsha Devaraddi Ramkrishna missed qualification in the R4 Mixed 10m Air Rifle Standing SH2 event, finishing in ninth place with just 0.1 point shy of the cutoff. Only the top eight shooters from the qualification round advance to the finals.

In the R5 Mixed 10m Air Rifle Prone SH2 Qualification, Sriharsha is currently in 22nd place. He shot scores of 10.6, 10.5, 10.4, 10.6, and 10.5 in the first series, and 10.0 and 10.6 in the second series.

India's Ravi Rongali's Men’s Shotput F40 final round is underway.  

Throw 1 - 10.44m

Throw 2 - 10.49m - Personal Best

Indian rowers Anita and Narayan Konganapalla finished second in Final B of the Para Rowing PR3 Mixed Double Sculls event with a time of 8:16.96. As this was not a medal race -- only the top six teams advanced to Final A for medals -- India secured an eighth-place finish, just behind the USA.

Sriharsha Devaraddi fails to qualify in R5 - Mixed 10m Air Rifle Prone SH2 category as he finished 26th with a score of 630.2 and only top eight athletes advance to the final round. With this, the Indian shooter ends his campaign at Paris Paralympics 2024.

With only one attempt remaining, Rongali Ravi is currently in fifth place. This final throw will need to be exceptional for India to secure a medal in Shot Put.

First - 10.44, Second - 10.49, Third - 10.63, Fourth - x, Fifth - 9.83

In his final attempt, Ravi Rongali recorded a throw of 10.00 meters. With a personal best of 10.63 meters, the Indian shot put para athlete remains in fifth place. A near medal miss!

Avani Lekhara finished 11th and Sidhartha Babu 28th in the Mixed 10m Air Rifle Prone (SH1) event, both missing out on the final. With Sriharsha Devaraddi Ramakrishna also finishing 28th in the Mixed 10m Air Rifle Prone (SH2) qualification, India’s shooting contingent concludes the d with no athletes advancing to the finals so far.

17:00 - Para Badminton - Women’s Singles SH6 Quarterfinal - Nithya Sre Sumathy Sivan vs Oliwia Szmigiel (POL)

19:17 - Para Archery - Men’s Individual Compound Open, 1/8 Elimination - Rakesh Kumar vs Ken Swagumilang (INA)

20:10 - Para Badminton - Men’s Singles SL3 Semifinal - Nitesh Kumar vs Daisuke Fujihara (JPN)

Indian shuttler Nithya Sre Sumathy Sivan has taken control in her Women’s Singles SH6 Quarterfinal match against Oliwia Szmigiel, winning the first game 21-4, showcasing her dominance at La Chapelle Arena, Court 3.

And just like a force of nature, Nithya Sre Sumathy Sivan storms into the Women’s Singles SH6 semifinals securing a 21-4, 21-7 win against Poland’s Oliwia Szmigiel. The Indian will now face China’s Lin Shuangbao next.

All eyes are on the medal events now! With two all-Indian fixtures in badminton, India has already secured two medals today. Fingers crossed for two more!

1. 20:10 - Para-Badminton - Men’s Singles SL3 Semifinal - Nitesh Kumar vs Daisuke Fujihara (JPN)

2. Not before 21:50 - Para Badminton - Men’s Singles SL4 Semifinal - Suhas Yathiraj vs Sukant Kadam

3. Not before 00:20 - Para-Badminton - Women’s Singles SH6 Semifinal - Nithya Sre Sumathy Sivan vs Lin Shuangbao (CHN)

4. Not before 02:00 - Para-Badminton - Women’s Singles SU5 Semifinal - Thulasimathi Murugesan vs Manisha Ramadass

Rakesh Kumar -10

Ken Swagumilang - 8

In a nail-biting shoot-off, Rakesh Kumar clinched a 10 to secure his place in the quarterfinal, outshooting his Indonesian opponent who could only manage an 8.

Rakesh Kumar will compete in the quarterfinals tonight at 9:16 PM IST.

Nitesh Kumar, an Indian para-badminton player, competes against Daisuke Fujihara of Japan in the Men's Singles SL3 Semifinal. Check out the live updates here.

Rakesh Kumar will compete in the quarterfinals tonight at 9:16 PM IST against Kyle Tremblay from Canada.

Nitesh Kumar's winning streak continued as he secured a decisive 21-16, 21-12 victory, advancing to the final and ensuring India's sixth medal. The Indian para-shuttler quickly established a lead in the second game and cruised to victory.

Nitesh Kumar continued his dominance, securing a 21-16, 21-12 victory that propelled him into the final and guaranteed India its sixth medal. The Indian para-shuttler quickly seized control of the second game, coasting to victory.

Next up, an all-Indian semifinal in SL4 between Suhas Lalinakere Yathiraj and Sukant Kadam at 9:50 PM IST.

And that's not all: Another all-Indian semifinal is slated for the Women's Singles SU5 category at 2:00 AM IST.

Rakesh Kumar will be out on the field soon.

Bhavinaben Patel dominates her opponent, winning in straight sets (11-3, 11-6, 11-7) and advancing to the Women's Singles WS4 semifinals.

Both the archers are out at the firing point.

After the first series of shots, both teams are tied.

Rakesh Kumar - 9, X (perfect shot), X (perfect shot) = 29

Kyle Tremblay - 10, X (perfect shot), 9 = 29

In the second series Rakesh trails 28 - 29 with a total score line of 57-58. 

As the gap widened, the Indian athlete felt the pressure mounting. In the third series, Kumar shot two 10s and a 9, while their opponent achieved perfect 10s.

Rakesh has finally edged ahead, but his opponent remains composed. The upcoming series will be decisive, and this lead could prove crucial for India.

After a series of shots, the Indian tied the score, forcing a shoot-off. This marks the second time Rakesh has forced a shoot-off here in Paris, previously securing a place in the quarterfinals, he took the match like that.

Rakesh Kumar's clutch performance, highlighted by a golden score, X, earns him a spot in the semifinals. Adding up to the celebrations Desi Boys song is being played in the background.

Rakesh Kumar's semifinal match is set for 10:24 PM IST tonight. Don't miss it!

Rakesh Kumar of India will soon take on China's AI Xinliang in the semifinal.

Rakesh Kumar, a silver medalist at the Asian Para Games and a former sixth-place finisher at the Tokyo 2020 Paralympics, added a gold medal to his resume at the 7th Fazza Para Archery World Ranking Tournament in Dubai in 2021.

Eleven years ago, the same archery champion faced a devastating spinal cord injury that led him to contemplate suicide. However, he found solace and purpose in opening a mobile recharge shop in Katra.

Rakesh expressed his gratitude to the Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Shrine Board, the Sports Authority of India, and the Archery Association of India for their invaluable support throughout his journey.

Both archers are on the range, and we're rooting for the Indian star.

After the first round of shots, China's AI Xinliang is ahead with two perfect 10s and a X. Meanwhile, Rakesh managed an X, a 10, and a 9.

Rakesh did well in the second round, but the Chinese archer still has a one-point lead, even after shooting an 8.

Rakesh is still behind in this round. The gap is getting bigger, and the pressure on him is building. He shot two 10s and a 9, but the Chinese archer managed two 10s and a perfect X.

Only three arrows left, and India's behind by a lot. But there's still hope! Let's cheer on our champ, Rakesh. He's facing the top seed, so this is a tough match.

Rakesh did better than AI in the last three arrows, but it wasn't enough to make it to the gold medal match. Still, he's going to fight for a bronze medal for India.

Tune in at 11:13 PM IST for Rakesh Kumar's Bronze Medal Match.

Preeti Pal's historic bronze medal in the 200m T-35 race, clocked at 30.01 seconds, makes her the first Indian woman track and field athlete to win multiple medals at the Paralympics or Olympics.

Rakesh Kumar started well and took early advantage with a perfect score against China's He Zihao who dropped one point.

END 1

Rakesh - X, 10, 10

He - X, 10, 9

Both the players level in second shot, Rakesh dropped a point but the Chinese opponent took the perfect score.

Rakesh - 9, 10, 10

He - X, 10, X

Kumar is maintaining his lead by one point, he just dropped one point but He Zihao dropped two points.

Rakesh - X, 9, 10

He - 9, X, 9

Rakesh is behind by just one point, and there are only three arrows left. This is getting dangerous for India.

Rakesh - 9, 10, 9

He - 10, X, X

China snatched the bronze medal from India in a heartbreaking finish. Rakesh Kumar put up an incredible performance but fell short by just one point. His final three arrows were identical to He Zihao's.

India's Nithya Sre is in action right now in the women's singles SH6 semifinals.

Currently, the Indian is in trouble, trailing in the first game with a big margin.

Nithya Sre has lost the first game in the women's singles SH6 semifinal against Lin Shuangbao of China.

Sre lost 13-21 in the first game and is trailing in the second game too.

Nithya Sre loses semifinal. China's Lin Shuangbao is through to the final after defeating India's Nithya Sre in the semifinal of the women's singles SH6 classification.

The Indian lost 21-13, 21-19 and will now be in contention for the bronze medal.

Nishad Kumar has won a silver medal in men's high jump T47 final. This is his second Paralympics silver after his medal of same colour in Tokyo too.

Kumar gave his season's best 2.04 to finish second in the competition.

Manisha Ramadass will be up against her teammate Thulasimathi Murugesan in an all-Indian semifinal in para badminton at the Paralympics. That action is coming up shortly. Stay tuned

India's Manisha Ramadass has lost a closely fought first games against her countrywoman Thulasimathi Murugesan. The duo kept going back and forth before Murugesan sealed the first game in her favour with the scoreline reading 23-21.

Thulasimathi Murugesan through to final!

Thulasimathi Murugesan has defeated Manisha Ramadass in straight games to seal a place in the final of the women's singles SU5 classification. Ramadass will now fight for bronze while Murugesan will take on China's QX Yang in the gold medal match.

If the earlier days were about Indian shooters, shuttlers took the limelight on Day 4. Suhas Yathiraj, Nitesh Kumar and Thulasamithi Murugesan have booked their ticket to final while Sukant Kadam and Manisha Ramadass will play for bronze. In athletics, India got two medals. Preethi Pal made history by getting a bronze, her second medal at the Paris Paralympics, in the 200m final. Nishad Kumar claimed silver in high jump.

There were some disappointments too. Avani Lekhara could not make the final of her event while archer Rakesh Kumar missed the bronze medal by a whisker.

Thank you for following Outlook's coverage of the Paris Paralympics. Do tune in tomorrow as we track day five of the Games on Outlook. Till then good bye!