India bagged three gold and a silver as the medal rush continued for the contingent as it passed the 50-medal mark in the Special Olympics World Games 2023 here.
At the end of Wednesday’s action in Berlin, Special Olympics Bharat had 55 medals — 15 gold, 27 silver and 13 bronze spread across five different sports — athletics, cycling, powerlifting, roller skating and swimming.
The highlights of Wednesday’s medal rush came from the swimming pool and cycling course, with India registering five medals in the pool (3 gold medals, 1 silver and, 1 bronze) and six on the cycling course (3 Gold, 2 silver, one bronze).
The cycling event at the World Games is being held next to the Brandenburg gate – a landmark not just for Berlin and Germany but even Europe as a whole as the monument built by the Prussian Empire has endured both World Wars and then even survived the division of the city itself.
On Wednesday, India used the venue to mark a piece of history for themselves, every member of the cycling team winning a medal to bring back home.
Neel Yadav was the first to do so, his bronze in the 5km road race coming at the end of a period where most of his peers had missed out on a medal by close margins. Yadav’s medal gave the group confidence, and after the lunch break, reinvigorated, every one of them came fully charged to make the most of the afternoon time trials. Shivani, Neel Yadav and Indu Prakash won gold medals in the 1km Time trial, while Kalpana Jena and Jeyaseela Arbutharaj took home the silver.
In the pool, India’s medals almost doubled in number thanks to the exploits of the freestyle swimmers, Diksha Jitendra Shirgaonkar, Pooja Giridharrao Gaikavada and Prashaddhi Kamble winning gold medals. Madhav Madan added another medal to his tally (Gold, 25m freestyle) and Sidhanth Murali Kumar won bronze in the 25m freestyle.
Sonepat-lad Saket Kundu won silver in the Mini Javelin Level B, and in doing so, exorcised a long-standing grudge and fulfilled a wish that has seen him traverse different disciples to get to represent India on the world stage.
The Little Angels School student is a multi-sport athlete, who has competed in table tennis, figure skating and athletics at the National level. Among the probables for the 2023 Special Olympics World Winter Games, Kundu lost his chance to represent India when the Games were cancelled.
Shrugging off his disappointment, he switched to athletics, to the mini javelin, an event that made its debut at the World Games in Berlin and was selected after a gruelling camp. It wasn’t for nothing. His medal was the first India won in the event, a piece of history in itself.
The Indian contingent will be in action across multiple sports on Thursday in Berlin, with several competing in finals across multiple events in Athletics, Golf and Cycling.
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