 "Hokato Sema won a bronze medal in the men's shot put event at the Paris Paralympics. Image: X")
Hokato Sema, a landmine blast survivor came up with his career-best throw of 14.65m to secure a bronze medal in the men’s shot put F57 category at the Paralympics in Paris on Friday (6 September).
The 40-year-old Dimapur-born Army man, who had also won a bronze medal at the Hangzhou Para Games last year, started slowly with a throw of 13.88m before he hit a purple patch.
Sema is the only para-athlete from Nagaland in the Indian contingent at the Paralympics. He touched the 14m mark on his second throw and then went better with a heave of 14.40m.
Sema, who lost his left leg in a landmine blast while taking part in an anti-terrorist operation in Jammu & Kashmir’s Chowkibal in 2002, achieved his best in his his fourth throw, surpassing his personal best of 14.49m to clinch the bronze medal.
After the accident, Sema needed to get his left leg amputated. The physical recovery took a toll on him and affected him psychologically to go from someone in the peak of fitness levels to being an amputee.
Impact Shorts
More ShortsSema’s journey saw him get encouragement by a senior army official at the Pune-based Artificial Limb Centre to take up shot put. He took the plunge in 2016 at the age of 32 and was soon competing in the National Para Athletics Championships in Jaipur the same year.
At the 2023 Para Asian Games, he won his first big international medal - a bronze. He then came close to adding to his achievements list by finishing fourth at the 2024 World Championships in Kobe.