Archer Harvinder wins historic gold at Paris Paralympics

Harvinder Singh of India competes in the Paris Paralympics. Photo: Reuters/Thomas Mukoya

Paris: Tokyo Games bronze-winner Harvinder Singh became the first Indian archer to win a gold medal at the Paralympics, beating Poland's Lukasz Ciszek in a lop-sided final here on Wednesday.

The 33-year-old Indian, who lost to Kevin Mather of the USA in the Tokyo Paralympics semifinals before securing a bronze three years ago, put up a dominant show to knock out Ciszek 6-0 (28-24, 28-27, 29-25).

Harvinder, who is pursuing Ph.D in Economics, won five back-to-back matches in a single day, showing neither fatigue nor nerves to etch his name in history and clinch India's second medal in archery here.

Both his legs are impaired owing to the side effects of dengue treatment that he underwent as a toddler.

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