Tokyo Paralympics gold medalist Sumit Antil and bronze medalist Harvinder Singh on Friday shared their experiences of meeting Prime Minister Narendra Modi at his residence.
PM Modi on Thursday hosted the Indian contingent of the Tokyo 2020 Paralympic Games that included all para-athletes and coaches at his residence. The Prime Minister had a candid and informal interaction with the entire contingent.
Speaking to ANI, Antil said that PM Modi congratulated all the medal winners and motivated them for their future endeavours. "He specifically motivated all the players who could not win a medal and this special gesture really touched my heart," he said.
"We all know that he is very busy but still he spent a good amount of time with us and talked to all of us personally. He also ensured that we all have his full support," he added.
Antil clinched a gold in the men's javelin throw at Tokyo Paralympics and dominated the show from the word go as he improved the World Record three times in the final.
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The archer Harvinder Singh also expressed happiness over meeting PM Modi and said that it was a joyous experience for him. "PM Modi asked about my PhD and asked about my supervisor. He also asked me how I manage my studies along with the sports," he stated.
Singh added that Tokyo Paralympics has been a really good journey for him as all his hard work paid off when he won a bronze medal. "We did not have practice sessions during the pandemic, so I used to practice in the fields," he said.
Singh created history as he won a bronze medal in the men's individual recurve at the Tokyo Paralympics - the country's first medal in archery at the Paralympics.
( With inputs from ANI )
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