Marching ahead with strong spirit, Yogesh and Ekta seal 2020 Tokyo Paralympic quota

Dubai, November 12: Indian Khiladis are appreciably marching ahead towards the target of Tokyo 2020 Olympics. Today, India’s accomplished javelin thrower Yogesh Kathuniya and para-athlete Ekta Bhyan secured birth at the 2020 Tokyo Paralympic Games.

 

Yogesh Kathuniya today won the silver medal in men’s discus throw F56 category with a throw of 42.05m at the World Para Athletics Championships being held in Dubai. With this he also won a 2020 Paralympic quota. Ekata Bhyan also won a quota in women’s club throw F51. 

Last year, Yogesh had smashed a world record by winning gold in the Para-Athletics Grand Prix in Berlin. He had thrown 45.18m which was more than two metres than the earlier world record of 42.96m set by China’s Cuinqing Li. 

Ekta Bhyan (born 1985) is a para athlete who represents India in the Women's club and discus throw event. She won the Gold medal in this event at the recent National Para Athletics Championships in Panchkula in 2018. She has also represented India at the 2017 IPC World Para Athletics Championships in London. Ekta is supported by the GoSports Foundation through the Para Champions Programme.

 

In 2003, Ekta met with a road accident damaging her spinal cord. In 2014, she started playing as a way to get fitness back. She met athlete Amit Paroha which inspired her to become a para-athlete like him.