India at Paris Paralympics 2024, Day 1 LIVE: Sheetal shoots 703 to end as 2nd seed, heartbreak for Aruna

India at Paralympics 2024, Day 1 LIVE: Manisha wins the match

Manisha Ramadass was run close by world championship medallist Maud Lefort but the Indian wins third 21-19 and the match. She wins 8-21, 21-6, 21-19.

India at Paralympics 2024, Day 1 LIVE: Manisha takes the match into decider

After losing the first game, Manisha clinches the second game 21-6 to force a decider. She leads 19-15 in third game with the home crowd behind Lefort.

India at Paralympics 2024, Day 1 LIVE: Manisha loses first game in badminton

Strong start for unseeded Lefort of France as she wins first game 21-8 against No.2 seed Manisha Ramadass in 15 minutes.

India at Paralympics 2024, Day 1 LIVE: Back to badminton

India’s Manisha Ramadass, the No.2 seed, takes on France’s Maud Lefort in the Group C match of the SU5 category. SU means standing upper and SU5 is for athletes who have movement affected at a low level in one arm. Manisha currently trails 5-12. Strong start for the Franch opponent.

India at Paralympics 2024, Day 1 LIVE: Para Arcehry Ranking Round -- Harvinder finishes 9th in recurve archery

Harvinder Singh takes on Taiwan’s Lung-Hui Tseng in a Round of 32 contest on 4 September at 5.49 PM IST.

India at Paralympics 2024, Day 1 LIVE: Para Arcehry Ranking Round -- Sheetal through to Round of 32

Having finished second in the compound archery ranking round, Sheetal is already through to Round of 16 and got a bye in first round. Her match will take place on 31 August at 8.59 PM IST. 9th seed Sarita faces Malaysia’s Abdul Jalil NJ on 30 August at 3.03 PM IST in a Round of 32 contest.

India at Paralympics 2024, Day 1 LIVE: Para Arcehry Ranking Round -- Harvinder finishes 9th in recurve archery

Harvinder Singh ends ninth in the men’s individual recurve archery ranking round with a score of 637. France’s Guillaume Toucoullet ends first with a Paralympics record score of 652. Korea’s Kwak Geonhwi (647) and Indonesia’s Kholidin (647) finish second and third respectively.

India at Paralympics 2024, Day 1 LIVE: Para Arcehry Ranking Round -- Sheetal Devi finishes 2nd in compound archery

That’s heartbreaking but not bad. After taking the lead towards the end, Sheetal Devi slips at the end and finishes second in the women’s compound archery ranking round with a personal best score of 703. Turkey’s Girdi sets a world record with a 704 score to finish first.

The Paralympic record for 694 and three archers cross that mark.

India’s Sarita finishes ninth with a total of 682.

India at Paralympics 2024, Day 1 LIVE: Para Arcehry Ranking Round -- Sheetal on top

This is brilliant from Sheetal Devi as she takes the top spot in the women’s compound archery ranking round after 60 out of 72 hots. She leads with a total score of 584. Turkey’s Oznur Cure Girdi also has 584 points but is second having hit 44 10s as compared to Sheetal’s 48. Sarita of India is ninth with a score of 567.

India at Paralympics 2024, Day 1 LIVE: Para Badminton

And it’s over! No.1 seed Murugesan of India wins 21-9, 21-11 vs Italy’s De Marco in the women’s singles SU5 group stage match.

India at Paralympics 2024, Day 1 LIVE: Para Arcehry Ranking Round

Sheetal Devi continues to be second in the women’s compound archery ranking round after 48 out of 72 shots, while Sarita has jumped to the eighth spot. In the men’s recurve archery round, Harvinder Singh is ninth with 24 shots remaining out of 72.

India at Paralympics 2024, Day 1 LIVE: Para Badminton

No.1 seed Murugesan of India wins the first game 21-9 vs Italy’s De Marco in the women’s singles SU5 group stage match.

India at Paralympics 2024, Day 1 LIVE: Indian para-archer Sheetal Devi continues to be in 2nd position in women's compound arcehry ranking round. Sarita is at the 10th spot. 36 out of 72 shots done.

India at Paralympics 2024, Day 1 LIVE: Indian para-shuttler Sukant Kadam reacts to beating Malaysia's MHS Amin Burhanuddin in the men's singles SL4 group play stage - group B match on Paralympics debut.

“Playing at this level, with the crowd cheering for us, is fantastic! I was determined to give it my all, with 100% speed and never giving up. We were prepared for this situation and knew how to handle the pressure and the crowd.”

India at Paralympics 2024, Day 1 LIVE: In the all-India men's singles badminton clash, Nitesh Kumar beats Manoj Sarkar 21-13, 18-21, 21-18 in the SL3 Group A match.

India at Paralympics 2024, Day 1 LIVE: Another badminton match involving an Indian is coming up as No.1 seed Murugesan takes on Italy's De Marco in women's singles SU5 group stage match.

India at Paralympics 2024, Day 1 LIVE: Palak Kohli beats Milena Surreau 21-12, 21-14 in women's singles Group C SL4 badminton match

India at Paralympics 2024, Day 1 LIVE: Sheeta Devi continues to be 2nd in women’s individual compound archery ranking round after 18/72 shots. She has a total score of 176. Sarita is 9th.

India at Paralympics 2024, Day 1 LIVE: Para Badminton

Terrific first game and Palak Kohli takes it 21-14 against France’s Milena Surreau in the SL4 women’s singles match.

India at Paralympics 2024, Day 1 LIVE: Para Achery Ranking Round begins

In the men’s recurve ranking round individual event, India’s Harvinder Singh is sixth after 12/72 shots.

India at Paralympics 2024, Day 1 LIVE: Para Achery Ranking Round begins

The women’s individual compound and men’s individual recurve ranking rounds are underway. Sheetal Devi of India is currently ranked second and Sarita is 12th after 12/72 shots in women’s individual compound ranking round.

India at Paralympics 2024, Day 1 LIVE: Para Badminton

Palak Kohli from India is currently in action against France’s Milena Surreau and in Game 1 the Indian is leading 11-4 in the SL4 women’s singles match.

India at Paralympics 2024, Day 1 LIVE: Para Archery

Time for some para-archery! Sheetal Devi (standing) and Sarita Adhana (wheelchair) in the women’s individual compound ranking round. Harvinder Singh (standing) in the men’s individual recurve ranking round

India at Paralympics 2024, Day 1 LIVE: Para Badminton

Another all-India contest in the para-badminton. This time in the Men’s Singles SL3 class where Nitesh Kumar is up against Manoj Sarkar. Nitesh leads 10-5 at the moment

India at Paralympics 2024, Day 1 LIVE: Para Cycling

In Women’s C1-3 3000m individual pursuit cycling, Jyoti Gaderiya with time of 4:53.929 in the first heat. She had times of 1:37.147 in the first 1000m, 3:14.645 after the next 1000m before crossing the line at 4:53.929. It ranks her sixth and looks unlikely she will be vying for a medal

Qualification criteria: The riders with the two fastest times will go for Gold, the next two fastest riders will race for Bronze

India at Paralympics 2024, Day 1 LIVE: Para Badminton

Tarun Dhillon comes through in straight games to beat Rogerio Junior Xavier de Oliveira of Brazil 21-17, 21-19. Dhillon went from 4-3 in the first game to 9-3 and never let that momentum go. The second game was closer despite both players bagging four points in a row at different stages

India at Paralympics 2024, Day 1 LIVE: Para Badminton

Men’s singles SL4: Sukant Kadam beat Mohd. Amin Burhanuddin 17-21, 21-15, 22-20

SL4: Suhas Yathiraj beat Hikmat Ramdani 21-7, 21-5

On court: Tarun leads Rogerio Oliveira 21-17, 12-2

India at Paralympics 2024, Day 1 LIVE: Para Badminton

Men’s Singles SL4: Sukant Kadam levels his match against Mohd. Amin Burhanuddin of Malaysia. After dropping the first game 17-21, Kadam takes the second 21-15. It is 9-7 to the Malaysian shuttler at the moment

In another men’s sinslges match of the same class, Suhas Yathiraj leads Hikmat Ramdani 13-3

India at Paralympics 2024, Day 1 LIVE: Para Badminton

Women’s Singles SL3: Qonitah Ikhtiar Syakuroh comes from a game down to beat Manasi Joshi 16-21, 21-13, 21-18 in the first match of Group A

Men’s Singles SL4: Sukant Kadam is on court for his men’s singles SL4 group contest against Malaysia’s Mohd. Amin Burhanuddin. The Malaysian shuttler leads 18-16

India at Paralympics 2024, Day 1 LIVE: Para Taekwondo

Aruna, the only Indian in contention in Para Taekwondo at Paris Paralympics, goes down 19-0 to Turkey’s Nurcihan Ekinci. The Turkish para-athlete was in the lead at the end of the regulation time after collecting 18 points from body kicks and one gam-jeom on Aruna’s part

India at Paralympics 2024, Day 1 LIVE: Para Taekwondo

History: Para Taekwondo became the first full-contact para sport when it made its debut at Tokyo 2020

Categorisation: Athletes compete in the K44 category, with impairments in either one or both upper limbs.

Rules:

Matches can go up to a maximum of five minutes

Athletes wear, among other protective gear, something called the ‘sensor socks’, which determines if a point is scored when hitting their opponent’s torso

How to win?

a) If one athlete has a 30-point lead

b) An athlete is docked 10 points for unforced errors

c) Or simply, most points at the end of stipulated time.

Athletes score points based on landing kicks. Two points for a regular body kick, three for a turn kick and four for a spinning kick.

In Para Taekwondo, kicks to the head are forbidden and punches to the body are not scored

India at Paralympics 2024, Day 1 LIVE: Para Badminton

Manasi Joshi concedes the second game to Indonesia’s Syakuroh 13-21. It is 10-10 in the third and deciding game

India at Paralympics 2024, Day 1 LIVE: Para Badminton

Mandeep Kaur goes down in straight games to Nigeria’s Mariam Eniola Bolaji 8-21, 14-21 in women’s singles SL3 Group B match.

In this group of three players, the other being Australia’s Celine Aurelie Vinot, only two will advance.

Mandeep will take on Vinot on Saturday but she will have a clearer perspective of her chances when the Bolaji and the Aussie face off on Friday

India at Paralympics 2024, Day 1 LIVE: Para Badminton

Women’s singles SL3: Manasi Joshi wins the opening game 21-16 vs Syakuroh. But the Indonesian para-shuttler has come back strongly and leads the second 14-8

Over on the other court, Mandeep Kaur has dropped the opening game 8-21 and is down (14-19) in the second as well

India at Paralympics 2024, Day 1 LIVE: Para Badminton

Also on court for her women’s singles SL3 group match is Mandeep Kaur. She is in Group B and trails Nigeria’s Mariam Bolaji 7-11 at the moment

India at Paralympics 2024, Day 1 LIVE: Para Badminton

On court now is Manasi Joshi for her Women’s Singles SL3 group match against Indonesia’s Qonitah Ikhtiar Syakuroh.

Manasi, who needed to have her leg amputated after a road accident in 2011, won a bronze medal in singles at last year’s Asian Para Games and a silver in the doubles.

India at Paralympics 2024, Day 1 LIVE: Para archery

Team: Sheetal Devi, Rakesh Kumari, Pooja, Sarita, Harvinder Singh and Shyam Sundar Swami

History: One of the original sports at Rome 1960, the first Paralympics.

Classes: Recurve open, compound open and W1.

Athletes in the open category usually have an impairment in either the top or bottom half or one side of their bodies.

In W1, archers have an impairment in both the top and bottom halves of their bodies and the torso. Athletes can use either recurve or compound bows but there are some restrictions.

Recurve: Distance is of 70m from the target and the aim is 122cm in diameter.

Compound: Distance is of 50m from the target and the aim is 80cm but with its rings removed

Qualifying: Archers shoot 72 arrows for total score which determines their seeding for the subsequent knockouts.

Elimination matches: In recurve, a set system is used like at the Olympics. In compound elimination matches, cumulative scoring is followed where the scores of all arrows adding up over the duration of the match

India have entries in the recurve open and compound open categories.

India at Paralympics 2024, Day 1 LIVE: Mixed doubles badminton

Solaimalai and Sumathy will now need to beat the Thai pairing of Meechai/Saeyang in their group to have any chance of progressing. They’d also need a favour from the Americans. This group of three will see two teams advance

India at Paralympics 2024, Day 1 LIVE: Mixed doubles badminton

Solaimalai and Sumathy go down 21-23, 11-21 to Krajewski/Simon in Group B of the para-badminton mixed doubles SH6 class. Indians made great comebacks in the first game but ran out of steam in the second. The second game far too comfortable for the US pair

India at Paralympics 2024, Day 1 LIVE: What's in store today for India

India at Paralympics 2024, Day 1 LIVE: Mixed doubles para badminton

Sivarajan Solaimalai/ Nithya Sre Sumathy Sivan vs Miles Krajewski/Jayci Simon in mixed doubles SH6 class is underway. The Indian team trail the Americans 3-6 at this stage in the Group B contest

India at Paralympics 2024, Day 1 LIVE: Mixed doubles para badminton

Nitsh Kumar / Thulasimathi Murugesan come through in straight games over Suhas Lalinakere Yathiraj / Palak Kohli. Nitesh-Murugesan winning 21-14, 21-17 to register their first win of the competition.

The Indonesian top seeds Hikmat Ramdani and Leani Ratri Oktila get the better of French team Lucas Mazur and Faustine Noel 21-11, 21-12

The French team are ahead in the standings courtesy better points difference which will be the tiebreaker if needed in the end

India at Paralympics 2024, Day 1 LIVE: Mixed doubles para badminton

Nitsh Kumar / Thulasimathi Murugesan and Suhas Lalinakere Yathiraj / Palak Kohli are neck-and-neck in the second game. The former lead 15-14 at this stage. The teams were 10-10 in the first game as well before pulling forward. Will that be the case this time as well?

India at Paralympics 2024, Day 1 LIVE: Mixed doubles para badminton

Nitsh Kumar / Thulasimathi Murugesan take the opening game 21-14 vs Suhas Lalinakere Yathiraj / Palak Kohli

India at Paralympics 2024, Day 1 LIVE: Mixed doubles para badminton

The mixed doubles match between Nitsh Kumar / Thulasimathi Murugesan and Suhas Lalinakere Yathiraj / Palak Kohli carries extra importance because of the group sizes.

There are two groups of four teams in this category, top two pairs from each group will qualify for the semis.

The group features also features top seeds Ramdani/Oktila from Indonesia

India at Paralympics 2024, Day 1 LIVE: Para Badminton

First up for India at the Paralympics is para-badminton and it is an all-India affair in the Mixed Doubles SL3-SU5 Group Stage.

Nitsh Kumar / Thulasimathi Murugesan vs Suhas Lalinakere Yathiraj / Palak Kohli

India at Paralympics 2024, Day 1 LIVE: Para Badminton

The different classifications in para badminton are: Wheelchair – WH 1 and WH 2; Standing – SL 3, SL 4 and SU 5; Short Stature – SH 6

India have sent athletes in Standing and Short Stature Classes.

SL3 & SL4 classes have impairment in lower limbs. SL3 is for more severe impairments and singles matches in this class are played on half the court (lengthwise half)

SU5 class is for players with impairment in upper limbs

India at Paralympics 2024, Day 1 LIVE: The contingent

India have sent 84 athletes to the Paris Paralympics. They will be supported by 77 team officials and 18 members to aid medically or with administrative tasks. That makes it a 179-member contingent. India will compete in 12 sports in Paris, compared to nine sports and 54-member contingent in Tokyo.

India at Paralympics 2024, Day 1 LIVE: Fair to keep expectations

2019: India won a record 19 Paralympic medals, including five gold, in Tokyo for a 24th-place finish in the overall rankings.

2023: India won a record 111 medals, including 29 gold, at the Hangzhou Asian Para Games last year.

2024: At the World Para Athletics Championships in May, India snared 17 medals, including half a dozen gold for a sixth-place finish in the overall standings.

India at Paralympics 2024, Day 1 LIVE: First word on expectations

“Our 84-member team has come here with great enthusiasm. As the President of the Paralympic Committee, I want to tell you that we are going to create history in this tournament,” two-time Paralympic champion and currently PCI chief Devendra Jhajharia said after the contingent reached the Games village. “We will win more medals than we have in the history of the Paralympics before. When we repeatedly say that we will win more than 25 medals and that we will be in the medal tally of the top 20 countries, it is because our preparation is very excellent, whether it be athletics, badminton, or archery.”

Jhajharia will be involved in the competition in the men’s javelin throw F44/46 event. He had ended India’s 20-year medal drought in the Paralympics at Athens 2004. He then won another gold at the Rio 2016 Games.

India at Paralympics 2024, Day 1 LIVE: India's schedule on Day 1

India’s schedule today features badminton, taekwondo, cycling and archery. (Image: PCI)

India’s schedule on Day 1 of the Paralympic Games. Image: PCI

India at Paralympics 2024, Day 1 LIVE: How have India fared at Paralympics in the past?

Overall India have participated in 12 editions of the Paralympics, winning a total of 31 medals (Nine gold, 12 silver, and 10 bronze).

The first participation came at the 1968 Tel Aviv Games. Their first participation came at the 1968 Tel Aviv Games.

The first Paralympic medal for India came 1972 Heidelberg Games in Germany. The first medal came through para-swimmer Murlikant Petkar who clocked a world record time of 37.331 seconds to clinch 50m freestyle swimming gold.

Rome 1960 – Did not participate

Tokyo 1964 – Did not participate

Tel Aviv 1968 – 0

Heidelberg 1972 – 1

Toronto 1976 – Did not participate

Arnhem 1980 – Did not participate

UK/USA 1984 – 4

Seoul 1988 – 0

Barcelona 1992 – 0

Atlanta 1996 – 0

Sydney 2000 – 0

Athens 2004 – 2

Beijing 2008 – 0

London 2012 – 1

Rio 2016 – 4

Tokyo 2020 – 19

India at Paralympics 2024, Day 1 LIVE: Welcome to our coverage!

Hello and welcome to our coverage of the Paralympic Games. ‘Spirit in Motion’ is the motto of the Paralympic Games. For the Paris edition, it is ‘Games Wide Open’ as International Paralympic Committee (IPC) stresses on inclusivity for all. That is what we’re going to witness with the 17th Summer Paralympic Games getting underway today. From an Indian perspective, it is an opportunity to better the tally of 19 medals from Tokyo – which was a record.