Paris: Braving all odds with a steely resolve, India's Simran won the bronze medal in the women's 200m T12 final at the Paralympic Games here on Saturday, living up to the expectations of a podium finish after missing it by a whisker in the 100m dash.
Reigning world champion Simran finished third on the podium with a personal best time of 24.75 seconds in what was a culmination of a journey that was fraught with obstacles right from the day she was born.
Cuba's Omara Durand Elias claimed gold with 23.62, while Venezuela's Paola Alejandra Perez Lopez bagged silver with an effort of 24.19.
The T12 classification in the Paralympics is for athletes with visual impairments.
The 24-year-old Simran was born prematurely and spent the next 10 weeks in an incubator where it was discovered that she is visually impaired.
With the race for the gold medal becoming a contest between Omara and Paola, Simran was engaged in a battle for the bronze with Iran's Hajar Safarzadeh, who had a better reaction time than the Indian sprinter.
However, Simran gave it her all in the final stretch and crossed the line before Hajar, who finished with a timing of 24.91.
The Indian, who became world champion this year in Kobe, Japan, faced numerous challenges throughout her life, including her father's chronic illness and eventual passing.
She had earlier finished fourth in the 100m event.
After the disappointment in the 100m competition two nights ago, the 200m race offered Simran a chance at redemption, and helped by her guide Abhay Singh, the athlete went all out to to stand on the podium, and succeeded too in her endeavour.
It was the day's first medal for India after disappointments in swimming, canoeing and road cycling.
On Friday, Simran breezed her way into the final of the event with a time of 25.03s, having earlier topped her heat to enter the semifinals clocking 25.41s.
Coached by her husband Gajendra Singh, who works for the Army Service Corps, she trains at Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium in Delhi.
Her breakthrough came at the 2019 World Para Athletics Championship where she competed despite fear of losing her father.
Although she lost her father shortly after returning from the event, she channelled her grief into motivation, determined to honour his memory through her achievements.
Since 2022, Simran has been performing exceptionally well in national and international competitions. She has tasted plenty of success in the National Championship and the Indian Open in the 100m and 200m events.
Besides, she also won two silver medals at the Asian Para Games in Hangzhou last year and secured three gold in the 100m, 200m, and long jump at the inaugural Khelo India Para Games last December.
Thanks to her consistency, Simran was included in the government's Target Olympic Podium Scheme (TOPS).