Paris 2024 Paralympics: ‘I’m winning silver everywhere, now want to break jinx by clinching gold,’ says Kathuniya

A second consecutive silver medal at the Paralympics is not a feat Indian discus thrower Yogesh Kathuniya is too happy about as he feels he is stuck with a second-place finish in a series of major events.

The 27-year-old from Haryana produced a season-best effort of 42.22m to finish second on the F-56 discus podium at the Paris Olympics on Monday.

But Kathuniya wasn’t satisfied with his performance and he vowed to better the colour of his medal in the next major tournament.

“Event was okay, I got a silver. I will work harder to change the colour of the medal,” a rather disappointed Kathuniya said after his event.

“For some time, I’m winning silver only be it Tokyo (Paralympics) or today, World Championships or Asian Games..everywhere I’m winning silver. Gaadi atak gayi hai (I’m stuck on silver). I think I need to work harder. Now I want gold.” The silver on Monday is Kathuniya’s fifth consecutive second place finish since the Tokyo Paralympics in 2021.

He had picked up silver medals at the 2023, 2024 World Championships as well as in the Asian Para Games last year.

Kathuniya, who developed the Guillain-Barre syndrome, a rare autoimmune condition which causes numbness, tingling and muscle weakness that can progress to paralysis, was wheelchair bound before his mother learnt physiotherapy to help him regain muscle strength to walk again.

Kathuniya’s performance at the Stade de France was inferior to the 44.38m effort he produced at Tokyo three years back and also below his personal best of 48m which he produced at the Indian Open, which is, though, not a World Para Athletics event.

“Today was not my day, my performance is consistent but today I don’t feel that happy. My family will be happy, they must be celebrating.

“My coach has helped me a lot. I did very well in training but unfortunately I wasn’t able to replicate it today,” he said.

The F56 category is meant for athletes who compete in field events from a seated position. Different athletes, including those with amputations and spinal cord injuries, compete in this class.