Girisha Hosanagara Nagarajegowda won a silver in the men’s high jump event on Monday at the Paralympic Games in London, bagging India’s first medal at the 2012 Games.
Nagarajegowda, who suffers from a leg impairment, jumped a personal best to become the first Indian to win a Paralympic medal in the event.The 24-year-old from Karnataka jumped a height of 1.74 metres in the F42 final, finishing behind Fiji’s Iliesa Delana.The silver for Nagarajegowda helped India better their performance in Beijing four years ago when they didn’t win a medal. India’s best Paralympic performance was at the Athens Games with a gold and a bronze.
Born with a deformed left leg to a farmer in a small village called Arakalgud in Hosanagar Taluk, Hassan in Karnataka, Girisha the eldest son in the family almost immediately became an unwanted child.
“Being physically challenged is not my misfortune rather I feel gifted. If I hadn’t been like this, I would not have been a paralympian in the first place. Athletics is my life and I love being on the field”- Grisha said.
At times I definitely feel bad that we never get the adequate fame or honour what other athletes in India do. We paralympians have gotten used to it now and I have never allowed this ignorance to affect my performance. I hope my medal will bring some positive change in Para sports.”
India participating in the Games by 10 athletes besides 10 coaches and escorts as well as three officials.
- HN Girisha Won a bronze medal in the 1st Malaysian Open athletics championship in April this year.
- He won his first senior international medal in the IWAS World Games in Bangalore in 2009.