NEW DELHI: India’s Preethi Pal secured a bronze medal in the women’s T35 100m event at the Paralympics in Paris on Friday. The 23-year-old achieved a personal best time of 14.21 seconds, marking India’s inaugural medal in para-athletics at the Paris Paralympics.
The gold and silver medals in the event were claimed by Chinese athletes Zhou Xia and Guo Qianqian, who recorded times of 13.58 and 13.74 seconds, respectively.
The T35 classification is designed for athletes with coordination impairments, including conditions such as hypertonia, ataxia, athetosis, and cerebral palsy.

Preeti, a bronze medallist at the 2024 World Para-Athletics Championship, has also claimed gold at both the 2024 Indian Open Para Athletics International Championship and the 2024 National Para Athletics Championship.
Despite narrowly missing a podium finish at the 2022 Asian Para Games in Hangzhou, where she placed fourth, the 23-year-old from Muzaffarnagar, Uttar Pradesh, finally had her moment of glory on Friday. Delivering a stellar performance, Preeti recorded her personal best to secure the bronze medal.
Preeti, born into a farming family in rural Uttar Pradesh, faced significant physical challenges from birth. Her lower body was plastered for six days, and she had weak legs and an irregular leg posture, making her prone to various diseases.
Despite undergoing traditional treatments and wearing callipers for eight years from the age of five, Preeti proved to be a fighter. She overcame life-threatening conditions, demonstrating incredible strength and resilience, even when many doubted her survival.
At 17, Preeti discovered her interest in para-sports after watching clips of the Paralympic Games on social media. Her life took a turning point when she met her mentor, Paralympian Fathima Khatoon, who encouraged her to participate in district, state, and national competitions, leading to her international debut at the Asian Para Games last year.
To pursue her dream of qualifying for the Paris Paralympic Games, Preeti relocated to New Delhi to train under coach Gajender Singh at the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium. With his guidance, she refined her running techniques, resulting in significant improvements in her timing.
Preeti bagged her first international medal in the World Para Athletics Championship, where she claimed bronze medals in both the 100m and 200m events in 2024.
On Friday, Preeti achieved her dream by securing a bronze medal in the Women’s 100m T35 at her debut Paralympics. She will next compete in the 200m event, aiming for a second medal.