Paris Paralympics 2024: Preeti Pal creates history, becomes India’s first track and field Paralympic medalist

Indian Paralympic athlete Preeti Pal created history when she became India’s first athlete to win a Paralympic medal after she won the bronze medal in the women’s 100m event at the ongoing Paris Paralympics 2024.

Preeti Pal of Uttar Pradesh clocked 14.21s to win the bronze medal in the women’s 100m T35 event. China’s Xia Zhou won the gold medal with a timing of 13.58s while her compatriot Qianqian Gou won the silver medal after finishing the race in 13.74s.

The 14.21s timing clocked by Preeti is her career best while Xia Zhou’s 13.58s is a season best timing.

The T35 event is for athletes who have coordination issues like hypertonia, ataxia and athetosis, as well as cerebral palsy.

Preethi Pal, an native of Meerut in Uttar Pradesh, had won the bronze medal at the World Para Athletics Championships 2024 in Kobe. The bronze-medal winning effort gave her the qualification for the Paris Paralympics.

The Meerut-based athlete narrowly missed out winning a medal at the Para Asian Games in Hangzhou in 2023 but stamped her authority as India’s finest track and field Paralympian.

Born in a farmer's family, Preeti's lower body faced issues and she was plastered waist-down in just six days after birth.

She had weak legs and an irregular leg posture and was prone to various diseases.

After undergoing various treatments to strengthen her legs and boost her immunity, Preeti took up to athletics at the age of 17 and since then there was no looking back for the Indian athlete.