Who is Soman Rana? All you need to know about the Indian para-athlete competing in the Paris 2024 Paralympics
With the Paris 2024 Paralympics starting on August 28, Soman Rana is among the Indian para-athletics contingent members who will be expected to challenge for a podium finish at this year’s Paralympic Games in France.
The 41-year-old para shot putter, who lost a leg in a mine blast, competes in the F57 category. The F57 category is reserved for people with limb deficiencies who need to compete in field events from a seated position.
Rana, who has won multiple medals at the World Grand Prix and the Asian Para Games, already has experience participating in the Paralympic Games, as he represented India in Tokyo 2020. However, in this year’s edition in Paris, Soman Rana will look to win his first Paralympic medal by giving his best in the French capital.
Soman Rana’s career in brief
Born in Shillong, Meghalaya, Soman Rana worked as a havildar in the Indian Army and lost the lower part of his right leg in a mine blast in 2006.
After the mishap, Rana shifted his focus to para-athletics. He was inducted into the Army Paralympic Node at BEG and Centre in Pune in 2017. Supported by the Army Sports Control Board, he took part in the 2019 World Para Athletics Championships in Dubai, finishing in seventh position.
Two years later, Rana won a gold medal in the 2019 World Para Athletics Grand Prix in Tunis. He also won two two gold medals and a silver medal in the 19th National Athletics Para Championship. Rana then made his Paralympic debut in Tokyo 2020, agonizingly finishing in the fourth position to return empty-handed.
However, Rana made up for his Tokyo 2020 heartbreak by winning a silver medal at the 2022 Asian Para Games in Hangzhou, registering a throw of 16.0m.
He also secured a berth for the Paris 2024 Paralympics by finishing seventh in the F57 category at the 2023 World Para Athletics Championships in Paris.
Despite all his success in his relatively short sporting career, Soman Rana will look to put a fairytale ending in his story by winning his Paralympic medal in the Paris 2024 Games.