It looked like silver was practically guaranteed for India with only a short stretch of track left. But in a dramatic turn of events, Aysel Onder from Turkey, a world record holder, surged ahead in the final moments to beat Deepthi Jeevanji and take the silver in the women's 400m T20 at the Paris Paralympics. Yuliia Shuliar of Ukraine dominated the race to take gold with a time of 55.16 seconds, while Onder took silver (55.23s) and Deepthi claimed bronze (55.82s). This marks a breakthrough for India, which had no prior medals in Paralympic track events. The national tally now stands at three, thanks to Deepthi's bronze and Preethi Pal's double bronze performance in the T35 100m and 200m. The T20 division is dedicated to athletes with intellectual disabilities, a category Deepthi belongs to, having dealt with cognitive impairments since birth that hindered her social adaptation and communication. Her journey to the top included a historic gold at the May 2024 World Para Athletics Championships in Kobe, Japan, where her time of 55.07 seconds broke new ground. She was the first Indian to ever win a world title in a track event. That performance allowed her to edge out USA's Breanna Clark, who had held the previous record of 55.12 seconds since 2023. Interestingly, during the Paralympic heats, Turkey's Aysel Onder actually surpassed Deepthi's world record with a blazing 54.96 seconds. Deepthi's rise is equally impressive; she set an Asian record of 56.69 seconds to win gold at the Para Asian Games in Hangzhou last year. The 21-year-old's path wasn't easy, but she has evolved into a world record holder and a beacon of hope for many. Her talent was first spotted in the 9th grade at the Rural Development Foundation (RDF) School in Warangal by her PE teacher, Biyani Venkateshwaralu. From there, she began training under Nagpuri Ramesh, a coach known for his work with sprinter Dutee Chand. Ramesh first saw her compete at a state level in 2019, which launched her professional career. She quickly put herself on the global map after winning bronze at the 2019 Para Asian Youth Championships in Hong Kong. However, her athletic journey almost came to a halt due to severe financial
It appeared that the silver medal was ready for India to seize, with only a few
meters left to be traversed. However, Turkey’s world record holder, Aysel Onder,
produced an incredible comeback to defeat Deepthi Jeevanji and win the silver
medal in the women's 400-meter T20 race on Tuesday at the Paralympics in Paris.
Yuliia Shuliar of Ukraine won the gold medal with a time of 55.16 seconds. For
silver, Onder took 55.23 seconds, and for bronze, Deepthi recorded 55.82
seconds.
Before these Paralympic Games, track-running events had not produced any
medals for India. The nation now has three medals, Deepthi's bronze and Preethi
Pal's double bronze in the T35 100 and 200-meter races. In para-athletics,
athletes with intellectual disabilities compete in the T20 division. Deepthi suffered
from a cognitive illness known as intellectual impairment from birth, which
affected her capacity to adapt and communicate.
Earlier in May 2024, when Deepthi won the gold in the women's 400-meter T20
division at the World Para Athletics Championships in Kobe, Japan, she completely
rewrote the history books with a time of 55.07 seconds. She became the first
Indian to win a gold medal at a world championship in a track event. With her
timing, Deepthi surpassed Breanna Clark of the USA, who had set the previous
mark in 55.12 seconds at the 2023 World Championships. In the current
Paralympic heats, Aysel Onder of Turkey beat Deepthi's world record with a time
of 54.96 seconds.
Last year, Deepthi set an Asian record with a time of 56.69 seconds to win gold at
the Para Asian Games in Hangzhou, China. Deepthi was confronted with many
difficulties at an early age. However, the 21-year-old young Indian is a world
record holder and an inspiration for many.
When Deepthi was in Class 9 at the Rural Development Foundation (RDF) School
in Warangal, her physical education teacher Biyani Venkateshwaralu noticed her
athletic ability. Nagpuri Ramesh, the Indian junior team coach who had previously
worked with sprinter Dutee Chand, continued to teach her after that. He first
witnessed Deepthi compete in 2019 at a state event, which marked the start of
her career as a professional athlete.
After taking home the bronze in the 2019 Para Asian Youth Championships in
Hong Kong, Deepthi immediately made an impression on the global scene.
Deepthi's program was on the verge of being abandoned due to financial
struggles, but Ramesh recognized her raw potential and ensured she could travel to Hyderabad for proper training. Further support came from the legendary badminton star Pullela Gopichand, who suggested she undergo testing at the National Institute for the Empowerment of Persons with Intellectual Disability in Hyderabad. Once the tests were completed, she received the official international license required for para-athletes. Gopichand's foundation stepped in to provide the financial backing she desperately needed to reach her full potential. In other Paralympic news, Indian recurve archer Pooja Jatyan has fought her way into the quarterfinals of the women's open category in Paris. The 27-year-old, who previously took silver at the World Para Championship, secured a dominant 6-0 victory over Turkey's Yagmur Sengul. Having entered the pre-quarterfinals via a bye due to her top-9 ranking, Jatyan will now face Wu Chunyan, a bronze medalist from the Tokyo Games. Chunyan secured her spot after beating Mongolia's Oyun-Erdene Buyanjargal. Jatyan's match against Sengul was a masterclass; she swept the first set with 26 points, hitting three 9s in a row against Sengul's 22. After taking a 2-0 lead, Jatyan faced a tougher challenge in the third set as Sengul pushed back with two 9s and an 8. However, Jatyan remained composed, winning the final set by a single point to seal the match.
Hyderabad for training.
India’s legendary shuttler Pullela Gopichand offered her more help and suggested
that she be tested at the National Institute for the Empowerment of Persons with
Intellectual Disability in Hyderabad. Deepthi received the international license
needed to compete as a para-athlete following the requisite testing. Through his
foundation, Gopichand supported Deepthi financially. She needed the
sponsorship to help her become a champion athlete.
Meanwhile, Pooja Jatyan, an Indian recurve archer, has advanced to the
quarterfinals of the Paralympic Games women's open archery category in Paris.
The 27-year-old, who won silver in the World Para Championship, triumphed 6-0
in straight sets over Yagmur Sengul of Turkey.
Jatyan, who earned a bye into the pre-quarterfinals after finishing in the top 9,
will take on the Tokyo Paralympics’ bronze medalist Wu Chunyan in the
quarterfinals. Chinese Chunyan's pre-quarterfinal victory over Mongolia's Oyun-
Erdene Buyanjargal guaranteed her a spot in the quarterfinals.
Jatyan easily won the opening set of her match against Sengul, collecting 26
points overall with three consecutive 9s to Sengul's 22 points. Jatyan now leads 2-
0 as a result. In the third set, Jatyan had significant opposition from Sengul, who
scored two 9s and an 8, but she kept cool and defeated her opponent by one
point to clinch victory.