 "Pranav Soorma won a silver medal in club throw at the Paris Paralympics. Image: X")
Pranav Soorma clinched the silver medal in a historic one-two for India in the men’s club throw F51 event at the Paris Paralympics on Wednesday.
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Soorma, who injured his spinal chord at a young age of 16 when a cement sheet fell on his head, produced a throw of 34.59m in his first attempt but the 29-year-old from Faridabad couldn’t better and witnessed Dharambir clinch a gold medal .
Former cricketer and roller hockey enthusiast, Soorma was just another teenager when a cement sheet fell on his head when he was 16, leaving him paralysed after causing a severe spinal cord injury. Doctors told him that he would never walk again, and spent six months in the hospital.
It took many years for Pranav to accept that a wheelchair would be his lifelong companion.
Family’s support and a positive mindset helped him to turn to meditation and academics, where he excelled with 91.2 per cent in his 12th board exams.
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More ShortsHe then pursued a postgraduate degree from the Delhi School of Economics and secured a job as an Assistant Manager at the Bank of Baroda.
Pranav rediscovered his love for sports through para-athletics, with a journey of participating in Mr. Wheelchair India, and soon received success as he won a silver medal at the 2019 Beijing Grand Prix, a gold medal at the Serbia Open 2023, and both gold and silver medals at the Tunisia Grand Prix 2022.
He also produced a record-setting throw of 30.01m at the Asian Para Games 2023, where he won gold in the men’s club throw F51 event.
Throughout his journey, Pranav’s father, Sanjeev, played a crucial role by quitting his private sector job to support Pranav’s sports career, acting as an escort during training and competitions. His mother became his source of inspiration and a confidante.
Achievements:
Paralympics (2024) - Silver medal
World Championship (2024) - 4th Place
Asian Para Games 2022 (2023) - Gold Medal (Asian Record)
Serbia Open (2024 & 2023) - Gold Medal
Czech International Championships (2024) -Gold Medal
Tunis Grand Prix (2022) - Gold & Silver Medals