Tokyo, Japan – India's medal tally at the Tokyo Deaflympics continues to surge, with Abhinav Deshwal and Pranjali Prashant Dhumal adding to the nation's impressive performance. The duo's stellar performances have solidified India's position as a strong contender in the competition.
In a remarkable display of skill, Anuya Prasad clinched gold in the women's 10m air pistol event, breaking the Deaf Final World Record (DFWR). Her teammate, Pranjali Prashant Dhumal, secured the silver medal, having earlier broken the Qualification World Record (QWR) on her path to the finals. Anuya shot 52.5 in the first series and maintained her lead to finish with a score of 241.1, a healthy 4.3 points ahead of Pranjali, who finished with 236.8. Mahla Samiee of Iran won the bronze medal.
Abhinav Deshwal, a gold medalist at the 2022 Deaflympics in Caxias do Sul, added a silver medal to his accomplishments in the men's 10m air pistol event. He shot 235.2 to secure his place on the podium. Korea's Tae Young Kim won the gold with 238.2, and Croatia's Boris Gramnyak claimed the bronze with a score of 215.3. Notably, Abhinav also equaled the World and Deaflympics world record in qualification, shooting a score of 576.
These achievements have significantly boosted India's medal count in shooting to seven after just two days of competition. The Indian shooting contingent, comprising 15 members including three coaches, is participating in various events at the Ajinomoto National Training Center (East). The team is led by Deaflympic double gold medalist Dhanush Srikanth, alongside fellow medalists Shourya Saini and Abhinav Deshwal. The squad also includes World Deaf Championship medalists Mahit Sandhu, Anuya Prasad, Pranjali Dhumal, Natasha Joshi, Chetan Sapkal, Kushagra Singh Rajawat, and Mohammed Vania.
The Deaflympics is a multi-sport event sanctioned by the International Committee of Sports for the Deaf (ICSD). The athletes participating have hearing loss of at least 55 dB in their better ear. The games have been held every four years since the first event in Paris in 1924.
India has a rich history at the Deaflympics, securing five medals at the 2021 Deaflympics in Brazil, including three gold medals in the men's 10m air rifle, men's 10m air pistol, and 10m air rifle mixed event. Abhinav Sharma won two gold and one bronze medal at the Deaflympics in 2022. With the current momentum, India is poised to add more medals to its tally at the Tokyo Deaflympics. The Air Rifle Mixed Team event is scheduled for Tuesday, and India is expected to continue its strong performance.
