A क
News Sports Other Hokato Hotozhe Sema clinches Bronze in men's shot put to take India's medal count to 27 at Paris Paralympics

Hokato Hotozhe Sema clinches Bronze in men's shot put to take India's medal count to 27 at Paris Paralympics

Nagaland's Hokato Hotozhe Sema wanted to join the special forces of the Indian army. He lost his left leg below the knee in a landmine blast during a counter infiltration operation in 2002.

Hokato Hotozhe Sema. Image Source : GETTY IMAGESHokato Hotozhe Sema.
Edited By: Kumar Rupesh
September 07, 2024 7:11 IST

Indian Army officer Hokato Hotozhe Sema won the bronze medal for India in the men's shot put F57 category at the Paris Paralympics on Friday, September 6. Sema clinched bronze with his personal best of 14.65m. 

The 40-year-old has a very fascinating story.  He lost his leg during a combat operation in 2002. However, he didn't give up on life and took up shot put at the age of 32. Notably, this is Sema's Paralympics debut. He secured a bronze at the Asian Para Games in 2023 with a throw measuring 13.94m. He made his World Championships debut in 2023 and finished seventh and improved his performance to secure the fourth spot at the same event this year.

Yasin Khosravi reduced the previous Paralympics record to dust on all his six attempts, clinched gold with a throw of 15.96m, and registered a new all-time Paralympics record. Thiago Paulino dos Santos of Brazil won silver with his effort of 15.06m.

India's medal winners at Paris Paralympics 2024

S. No. Athlete Medal Sport Category
1. Avani Lekhara Gold Shooting Women's 10m air rifle standing SH1
2. Mona Agarwal Bronze Shooting Women's 10m air rifle standing SH1
3. Preethi Pal Bronze Athletics Women's 100m T35
4. Manish Narwal Silver Shooting Men's 10m air pistol SH1
5. Rubina Francis Bronze Shooting Women's 10m Air Pistol SH1
6. Preethi Pal Bronze Athletics Women's 200m T35
7. Nishad Kumar Silver Athletics Men's high jump T47
8. Yogesh Kathuniya Silver Athletics Men's discus throw F56
9. Nitesh Kumar Gold Badminton Men's singles SL3
10. Manisha Ramadass Bronze Badminton Women’s singles SU5
11. Thulasimathi Murugesan Silver Badminton Women’s singles SU5
12. Suhas Yathiraj Silver Badminton Men’s singles SL4
13. Rakesh Kumar / Sheetal Devi Bronze Archery Mixed Team Compound Open
14. Sumit Antil Gold Athletics Men's javelin throw F64
15. Nithya Sre Sivan Bronze Badminton Women's singles SH6
16. Deepthi Jeevanji Bronze Athletics Women's 400m T20
17. Sharad Kumar Silver Athletics Men's high jump T63
18. Mariyappan Thangavelu Bronze Athletics Men's high jump T63
19. Ajeet Singh Silver  Athletics Men's javelin throw F46
20. Sundar Singh Gurjar Bronze  Athletics Men's javelin throw F46
21. Sachin Khilari Silver  Athletics Men’s shot put F46
22. Harvinder Singh Gold Archery Men's individual recurve open
23. Dharambir Gold  Athletics Men's club throw 51
24. Pranav Soorma Silver Athletics Men's club throw 51
25. Kapil Parmar Bronze Judo Men's -60kg J1
26. Praveen Kumar Gold Athletics Men's high jump T64
27. Hokato Hotozhe Sema Bronze Athletics Men's shot put F57