Paralympics: For amit, there is no better Guru Dakshina than Dharambir's gold and Pranav's silver in the Paralympics, know more
Amit said that like many other players, when he took up club throw as a para-athlete after a car accident at the age of 22, he was also targeted by critics.
Amit Kumar Saroha may have finished last in the men's club throw F51 event at the Paralympics, but the success of the younger generation in the form of his disciple Dharambir's gold and Pranav Surma's silver medal is like a mission accomplished for him. On Wednesday, India's medal count at the Paralympics rose to 24 when Dharambir and Pranav made it to the top two, but amit finished last in the same event. Amit, however, is excited that the team will return with a gold medal.
The 39-year-old player said after the competition, "I will not say that it was unfortunate for me." amit said, "Yes, my competition was not good. I was watching Dharambir, he had fouled the first four throws. I was getting very worried that the event was getting worse and the same happened to me.' Amit explained the complexity of this event and said that many factors have to work together to be successful.
He said, 'Our disability is very severe - our fingers do not work and we have to glue the club with glue. But due to the cold, it became so sticky that it was not possible to hold. Due to the stickiness, the skin of my fingers also broke in this process.' But amit said that he was not disappointed at missing out on winning a medal in his fourth attempt.
He said, 'Whatever dream I had, it has come true. Ever since I started participating in sports, it has been my dream to win a medal in the Paralympics and this is my fourth competition - you know I am the most senior athlete on the team - so what if I could not win it, my disciple won it.' Asked if Dharambir's gold was a gift ahead of Teachers' Day, amit said it was more than anything he could have wished for.
"We are going back with a gold medal and there cannot be a bigger Guru Dakshina than the fact that we were together, we were competing against each other and he won the gold medal," he said. "Not just the Teachers' Day gift, he has given me all the gifts (one can give) today. Not just him, but Pranav (Surma) as well, because when I started club throw in India, nobody knew what it was," amit said.
Amit said like many others, he was also criticized when he took up club throw as a para-athlete at the age of 22 after a car accident. It is a condition that partially or completely limits the mobility of the arms and legs due to a spinal cord injury.
Amit said that when he started, no one in the country, including the federation, knew about the sport but now he feels his mission is accomplished. He said, 'We swept the medals in the Asian Games, today we have two Paralympic medals - gold and silver - so I feel the hard work I put in has paid off today.' amit said, 'The next generation has taken over. I have ruled this event like a king for 12 years, I made two Asian records during that time and if my children (disciples) are breaking them, then nothing can be better than this.'
click and follow Indiaherald WhatsApp channel