India finishes 2017 World Para Athletics Championships with record tally

The World Para Athletics Championships 2017 in London concluded on Sunday and with them, brought memories that would last a lifetime for fans and athletes.

For India, the event was one to remember as it culminated in its highest ever tally at a Para Athletics World Championships. The nation ended the Championships with a total tally of five medals. These include one gold, two silver and two bronze medals. In the 2015 World Championships, the nation had recorded a tally of two silvers, while in the one before it, it had a solitary gold.

Also read: Video: Watch Sundar Singh Gurjar’s gold medal-winning throw at the World Para Athletics Championships

It is indeed a proud moment for the Indian contingent, that performed admirably just last year at the 2016 Rio Paralympics, and from whom much was expected at the Championships this time around.

India got its medal tally running in the best way possible as para-athlete Sundar Singh Gurjar won the gold medal in the men's javelin throw F-46 event, beating the world's best with an effort of 60.86m. The throw marked a personal best for the Indian who comfortably overtook the pack and cemented India as a top javelin throw competitor. In the same event, another Indian, Rinku, was unlucky to miss out on a medal and finished in fourth place.

The second medal came in the form of a silver from Amit Kumar Saroha in the men's club throw F-51 category as a score of 30.25m was enough to see India win its second medal and a deserved place on the podium.

The third medal came thanks to Karamjyoti Dalal in the women's discus throw F-55 event where the 29-year-old para-athlete recorded a best effort of 19.02m and edged out other competitors to bring home a bronze. She almost missed out on the third spot but a disqualification to her competitor gave her a place on the podium and brought India a bronze medal.

The fourth and fifth medals for India came in the form of a silver and a bronze in the men's high jump T-42 category. Sharad Kumar and Varun Singh Bhati led the way for India to the very end and were serious contenders with the eventual gold medal winner - USA's Sam Grewe. The Indian duo performed exceptionally at the event but fell short of the top prize by the slightest of margins. Nonetheless, a 1.77m jump from Bhati and a 1.84m personal best from Sharad were top scores in a tough field.

Here is the list of the Indian athletes who clinched medals:

India's list of medal winners (Image courtesy: paralympic.org)

The Indian para-athletes have fought adversity throughout their lives and deserve props for putting up the fight that they have at the world stage. India salutes its heroes who performed so well in London and brought home all these medals.