Paralympic 2024: Harvinder Singh, disabled at 2, PhD holder, becomes India's first gold medallist archer
PTC News Desk: Harvinder Singh’s calm composure and unerring precision turned his dream into reality as he became India’s first-ever Paralympic gold medalist in archery. The 33-year-old PhD scholar in Economics from Haryana, who lost to Kevin Mather of the USA in the Tokyo semifinals before securing a bronze medal, demonstrated extraordinary resilience and determination to claim his second consecutive Paralympic medal.
Despite the physical and mental toll of competing in multiple rounds, Harvinder showed no signs of fatigue or nerves, winning five matches in a single day to claim gold.
In the final match, Harvinder delivered a spectacular performance, defeating Poland’s 44-year-old Lukasz Ciszek 6-0 (28-24, 28-27, 29-25). His composure under pressure was evident as he nailed three perfect 10s in his last four arrows, securing India’s second archery medal at the ongoing Paralympics. His victory added to the bronze medal won by Rakesh Kumar and Sheetal Devi in the mixed compound open category earlier that week.
Harvinder's road to the final was a series of impressive victories. In the quarterfinals, he overcame world No. 9 Hector Julio Ramirez of Colombia 6-2, after eliminating Tseng Lung-Hui of Chinese Taipei 7-3 in the round of 32. In the pre-quarterfinals, he rallied from a set down to defeat Indonesia’s Setiawan Setiawan 6-2.
His most significant challenge came in the semifinal, where he battled back from a 1-3 deficit to beat Iran’s Mohammad Reza Arab Ameri 7-3, becoming the first Indian archer to reach a Paralympic final.
Throughout the tournament, Harvinder demonstrated his ability to perform under pressure, staging comebacks and maintaining his focus in critical moments. His semifinal match against Ameri was particularly tense. Harvinder dropped the first set and tied the second, but regained control in the third and fourth sets, delivering consecutive 10s to take a 5-3 lead. In the final set, Ameri opened with a perfect inner 10, setting up a nail-biting finish. However, Ameri faltered on his last arrow, allowing Harvinder to close out the match and advance to the final.
In the gold medal match against Ciszek, Harvinder opened strong, winning the first set with a four-point lead. Although Ciszek made a strong push in the second set, Harvinder’s consistent shooting allowed him to edge out his opponent by a single point, extending his lead to 4-0. In the final set, Harvinder delivered a hat-trick of 10s, including a perfect inner 10, intensifying the pressure on Ciszek, who faltered with a 7. Harvinder sealed the victory with a decisive 9, clinching the gold medal and making history.
As the match concluded, the stands erupted in celebration. Sheetal Devi, who had won bronze earlier, was seen cheering exuberantly as Harvinder embraced his coach and proudly waved the Indian flag.
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Harvinder’s journey to Paralympic glory is a testament to his resilience and determination. Hailing from a farming family in Ajit Nagar, Haryana, Harvinder faced a major setback at just 18 months old when he contracted dengue. The side effects of the treatment left both his legs impaired. Despite this early adversity, Harvinder found his passion for archery after being inspired by the 2012 London Paralympics.
He made his international debut at the 2017 Para Archery World Championships, finishing seventh, and soon after, secured gold at the 2018 Jakarta Asian Para Games. During the COVID-19 lockdown, Harvinder’s father turned their family farm into a makeshift archery range to support his son’s training, enabling him to stay sharp and motivated during difficult times.
Harvinder had already made history by winning India’s first Paralympic archery medal—a bronze—at the Tokyo Games three years ago. Now, with a gold medal to his name, Harvinder Singh has firmly cemented his legacy as a trailblazer in Indian archery.
In the recurve open class, athletes compete by shooting from a standing position at a distance of 70 meters. They aim at a target with 10 concentric circles, with scores ranging from 10 points at the center to 1 point at the outermost ring. The competition is as much a test of mental endurance as it is of physical skill, and Harvinder’s success in overcoming these challenges has earned him a place in India’s sporting history.
- With inputs from agencies
