2 September 2024: India’s Ravi finished fifth in the men’s F40 shot put final on the third day of athletics competitions at the Rongli Paris Paralympics, while Rakshita Raju was eliminated in the opening round of the women’s 1500m T11 race. Ravi, who won a silver medal at the Asian Para Games in China last year, recorded a personal best throw of 10.63 meters. However, this performance was only enough to secure him fifth place. World record holder Miguel Monteiro of Portugal won the gold medal with a throw of 11.21 meters, while Mongolia’s Bat-Olzii Segmid (11.09 meters) took the silver medal. Current Asian Para Games champion Garrah Tanaish of Iraq won the bronze medal with a throw of 11.03 meters, while Tokyo Paralympic gold medalist and reigning World Para Athletics Champion Denis Gnezdilov of Russia finished fourth with a throw of 10.80 meters. The F40 category is for athletes of short stature.
Earlier, 23-year-old Rakshita finished last in heat 3, clocking a time of 5:29.92 minutes among four runners. The top two runners from each of the three heats qualified for the final. China’s Shanshan He topped Rakshita’s heat with a time of 4:44.66 minutes, while South Africa’s Louzanne Coetzee came in second with her season-best time of 4:45.25 minutes. The T11 category is for visually impaired athletes, who compete with the help of guides.
