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Paralympics 2024: At the Paralympics, Indian athletes delivered a stellar performance in the men club throw event, with Dharambir breaking the Asian record to secure the gold medal and his teammate Pranav Soorma taking the silver. Dharambir, a 35-year-old from Sonepat who had previously won bronze at the world championships, threw the club 34.92 meters on his fifth attempt after four earlier fouls, clinching the top position.
Pranav Soorma, who suffered a spinal cord injury at 16 due to an accident involving a falling cement sheet, managed a throw of 34.59 meters on his first attempt but could not surpass Dharambir. Soorma, hailing from Faridabad, ultimately settled for silver, and India celebrated a one-two finish. Amit Kumar Saroha, a trailblazing para-athlete and Dharambir mentor, finished in the last position with a best throw of 23.96 meters. The bronze medal went to Serbia Filip Graovac, who achieved a throw of 34.18 meters in his second attempt.
The F51 club throw category is designed for athletes with significant movement impairments in the trunk, legs and hands. Competitors perform the throw while seated, using their shoulders and arms to generate the necessary power.
From paralysis to Paralympic glory
Dharambir faced a life-altering accident when a misjudged dive into a canal left him paralyzed from the waist down. Para-sports gave him a new direction in life when he was introduced to it by fellow para-athlete Amit Kumar Saroha. Within two years, Dharambir qualified for the 2016 Rio Paralympics, marking the beginning of a successful career. He has since earned multiple medals for India, including a silver at the 2022 Asian Para Games.
A cricket and roller hockey enthusiast, Soorma too was just another teenager when a cement sheet fell on his head when he was 16, leaving him paralyzed after causing a severe spinal cord injury. Support of his family and a positive mindset helped him to turn to meditation and academics, where he excelled with 91.2 per cent in his 12th board exams. He then pursued a postgraduate degree from the Delhi School of Economics and secured a job as an Assistant Manager at the Bank of Baroda.
Pranav rediscovered his love for sports through para-athletics and soon received success as he won a silver medal at the 2019 Beijing Grand Prix, a gold medal at the Serbia Open 2023 and both gold and silver medals at the Tunisia Grand Prix 2022. He also produced a record-setting throw at the Asian Para Games 2023, where he won gold in the men club throw F51 event.
Paralympics 2024: Four fouled attempts and then a record
Dharambir made four foul attempts first up. The 35-year-old, who had won bronze at the world championships this year in Kobe Japan, then managed to break the Asian record and take the top spot in his next throw. Dharambir was left paralysed from waist down after he misjudged a dive into a canal. It was Saroha who introduced him to para-athletics and within a couple of years of taking it up, Dharambir qualified for the 2016 Rio Paralympics. He finished ninth there and then eighth at the Tokyo Paralympics.
Dharambir had earlier won silver at the Asian Para Games in Hangzhou in early 2022. In recognition of his outstanding performances in national and international competitions, Dharambir was honored with the Bhim Award in 2022, the highest sports honor awarded by the Government of Haryana.
Soorma was 16 when when a cement sheet fell on his head, causing a severe spinal cord injury that left him paralyzed. He spent six months in the hospital, with doctors telling him he would never walk again. He was introduced to para sports by his friends while in hospital.
Pranav excelled academically, scoring 91.2 percent in his 12th board exams and pursuing a postgraduate degree in commerce from the prestigious Delhi School of Economics. He later secured a job as an Assistant Manager at the Bank of Baroda. A former cricketer and roller hockey enthusiast, Pranav rediscovered his love for sports, this time in a wheelchair.
His achievements include a silver medal at the 2019 Beijing Grand Prix, a gold medal at the Serbia Open 2023, and both gold and silver medals at the Tunisia Grand Prix 2022. At the Asian Para Games 2023, Pranav set a record with a 30.01m throw in the men’s club throw F51 event, earning a gold medal.
The inspiring stories
Pranav Soorma’s story is equally inspiring. At just 16, Pranav was left paralyzed after a severe spinal cord injury caused by a falling cement sheet. Despite this, he embraced para sports while in the hospital and found new purpose in athletics. Pranav’s achievements include medals at international events like the Serbia Open and Tunisia Grand Prix, but his proudest moment came at the 2024 Paralympics, where he secured a silver medal with a throw of 34.59m, right behind Dharambir.
The event, held at the iconicStade de France on September 4, was a defining moment in India Paralympic journey. Dharambir, who had previously won silver at the Tokyo Paralympics, delivered an even better performance this time, improving his distance by nearly 10m to top the podium. His gold medal was not only a personal triumph but a monumental achievement for India, as it marked the country first-ever gold in club throw at the Paralympics.
Pranav Soorma journey to silver was equally inspiring. Overcoming a life-altering spinal cord injury, Pranav has shown immense resilience, transforming personal tragedy into a story of triumph through para athletics. Amit Kumar, the other Indian in the event, could not bag a medal after finishing at the bottom with the best attempt of 23.96. Zeljko Dimitrijevic of Serbia clinched the bronze medal with the best attempt of 34.18m. The Paralympic and world records of 35.42 and 36.22, respectively, stayed untouched.
With Dharambir and Pranav podium finish, India took its medal tally in the Paralympics 2024 to 24 with five gold, nine silver, and 10 bronze. With Pranav gold, India also equalled their best gold-medal tally of five that they achieved in Tokyo three years ago. Dharambir started on a shaky note, making four foul attempts in a row before hurling the 34.92m throw. The massive effort helped the Indian club thrower stay on top of the charts throughout the competition in the 10-man field.
Pranav made his best effort in the first attempt and managed five throws over 33m.
DHARAMBIR’S SERIES:x, x, x, x, 34.92m, 31.59m
PRANAV’S SERIES:34.59m, 34.19m, x, 34.50m, 33.90m, 33.70m
