Paris Paralympics 2024: Harvinder Singh clinches India's first-ever gold in archery

Harvinder Singh (Pic: AFP)

Harvinder Singh on Wednesday scripted history by winning India's first-ever gold medal in archery at the ongoing Paris Paralympics 2024.

In a commanding performance in the men's individual recurve open final, Harvinder defeated Poland's Lukasz Ciszek with a decisive 6-0 score (28-24, 28-27, 29-25), securing his second consecutive Paralympic medal.

Harvinder had previously etched his name in history by winning bronze in the same category three years ago in Paris, becoming the first Indian archer to stand on the podium at the Paralympic Games.

Earlier in the competition, he showcased his resilience by overturning a 1-3 deficit to defeat Iran's Mohammad Reza Arab Ameri 7-3 in the semifinals (25-26, 27-27, 27-25, 26-24, 26-25).

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Harvinder's gold medal adds to India's tally, which now stands at 22 medals - surpassing the previous record of 19 set in Tokyo. This achievement also marks India's second medal in archery at these Games, following Sheetal Devi and Rakesh Kumar's bronze in the mixed team compound open event.

In his journey through the knockout stages, Harvinder, who ranked ninth in the preliminary round, began by defeating Chinese Taipei's Tseng Lung-Hui 7-3 (25-25, 27-26, 26-29, 24-23, 25-17). He continued his winning streak with a 6-2 victory over Indonesia's Setiawan (27-28, 28-25, 28-27, 28-15) to advance to the quarterfinals. There, he faced Colombia's Hector Julio Ramirez, who had previously ousted top-seeded Frenchman Guillaume Toucoullet. Harvinder, however, remained steadfast and secured a 6-2 win (25-25, 28-24, 27-27, 26-25).

Looking ahead, Harvinder will join forces with Pooja for the mixed team recurve open event on Thursday.

More updates to follow...