Who is Dharambir? All you need to know about the Indian para-athlete competing in the Paris 2024 Paralympics
With India sending 84 competitors to the upcoming Paris 2024 Paralympics, Dharambir is one of those looking to make a mark on the biggest stage and win his first Paralympic medal in France. The Paris 2024 Paralympics will take place between August 28 and September 8.
The para club thrower from Haryana is a two-time Paralympian, but he is yet to break his Paralympic Games medal duck. Since his last Paralympic appearance, he has been in sublime form, winning several international medals.
Now in Paris, Ddharambir will look to break his Paralympic medal drought in this year’s quadrennial tournament.
Dharambir’s career in brief
Born in the Sonipat city in Haryana, Dharambir was not a professional sportsperson in any capacity for most of his life. However, he suffered a massive tragedy after having a horrific accident in 2012. While attempting a dive into the water, he misjudged the depth of the water and crashed into the underlying rocks.
As a result of the accident, he suffered spinal cord injuries that left him with below-the-waist paralysis. Bedridden and wheelchair-bound, Dharambir turned to para-sports in 2014 and started his career in para club throw under the guidance of former para-athlete Amit Kumar Saroha.
In 2016, only two years after starting his training, he took part in the 2016 Fazza IPC Athletics Grand Prix in Dubai and achieved the ‘A’ qualification mark for the Rio 2016 Paralympics. In his debut Paralympic appearance in Rio, he progressed to the final round but finished ninth in the F52 category. He then took part in the 2017 World Para Athletics Championships in London but failed to win a medal.
His first international success came in the 10th Fazza IPC Athletics Grand Prix in 2018, winning a bronze medal in the men’s club throw event. He then clinched gold and silver medals in the club and discus throw event at the 18th National Para Athletics Championships in the same year.
Dharambir then took part in the 2019 World Para Athletics Championships in Dubai but could only manage an eighth-place finish. He then took part in his second Paralympic Games in Tokyo 2020 but again failed to break his medal duck, finishing in eighth place in the final round.
Since then, the para-athlete has seen an uptick in his form. He first clinched two silver medals in the club throw and discus throw events at the 13th Fazza International Athletics Championships, Dubai, in 2022. In the same event, he set a new Asian record in club throw by registering a distance of 31.09m.
Next year, he won a gold medal in the club throw event as well as a silver medal in the discus throw event at the 5th Indian Open National Para Athletics Championship 2023. He then had a major breakthrough at the 2022 Asian Para Games in Hangzhou, winning a bronze medal in the club throw event.
In 2024, Dharambir has won a bronze medal at the World Para Athletics Championships with a Para Asian record throw of 33.61m in the F51 category.
As a member of India’s Paris 2024 Paralympics contingent, Dharambir will look to establish himself as a para-athlete suitable for the biggest stage by winning his first Paralympic medal in Paris.