Javelin thrower Navdeep Singh, who won silver medal at Paris Paralympics 2024,
Credit: PTI Photo
Javelin thrower Navdeep Singh, who clinched a historic gold medal at the Paris Paralympics, has had remarkable journey from fighting personal challenges to getting India's first-ever gold in the F41 category – which is meant for athletes of short stature.
Despite enduring severe criticism and societal rejection throughout his life, Navdeep’s determination and resilience shone through.
Hailing from Panipat in Haryana and born with dwarfism, his dream of becoming a paralympian was achieved after a lot of hard work.
In a podcast recently, the 23-year-old para athlete narrated the ordeal he faced while growing up and shared how some people even asked him to consider suicide.
“Aapko kya lagta hai hume hausla kaha se aata hai? Jab wo bolte hain ki tu kuch nahi kar sakta. Isse acha to tu suicide kar le. Ye kya jeewan hai tera (Where do you think we get our courage from? When they say you can't do anything. It's better if you just commit suicide. What kind of life is this for you?),” Navdeep recalling the hurtful taunts he faced in his childhood.
However, he turned those taunts into his biggest triumph on sport's grandest stage and won an unparalleled gold in the F41 classification at the Paris Paralympic Games.
The four-feet-four-inches tall para athlete’s personal best effort of 47.32m initially placed him in second position but it was upgraded to gold after the top finisher, Iran's Sadegh Beit Sayah, was disqualified for repeatedly displaying an objectionable flag. It was a defining moment for Navdeep who silenced all his doubters.
Singh also spoke on how his father, Dalbir Singh, a national-level wrestler, kept motivating him and saw him as an extension of his own aspirations.
“Shuruwat unhone karwai thi. Har jagah saath they [He was the one who got me started. He was with me every step of the way,” Navdeep said.