The explosion plunged Sema right into a seemingly hopeless scenario, with these round him believing his world had collapsed.
Nonetheless, for Sema, this marked the beginning of a outstanding path stuffed with resilience, bravery and an unwavering resolve to reconstruct his life. He launched into this transformative journey on the Military Paralympic Node, BEG Centre in Pune, the place he discovered the help and sources to beat his challenges and forge a brand new starting.
Shot-putter Sema achieved a outstanding feat on the age of 40 by securing a bronze medal within the males’s F57 class on the Paralympics in Paris. His career-best throw of 14.65 metres contributed to India’s spectacular medal tally, which now stands at 27, together with six gold, 9 silver, and 12 bronze medals.
Sema’s journey in para-athletics has been actually inspiring. He shortly made a reputation for himself within the F57 class, which includes athletes with limb deficiencies and impaired muscle energy, by way of his unwavering dedication and power of character.
It was throughout his time on the Synthetic Limb Centre in Pune that senior military officers acknowledged Sema’s potential and inspired him to pursue shot-put. Regardless of beginning comparatively late on the age of 32 in 2016, he embraced the game wholeheartedly and has since made important strides in his athletic profession.
In 2016, Sema travelled to Jaipur to take part within the Nationwide Para Athletics Championships. His success continued with a silver medal on the 2022 Morocco Grand Prix and a bronze on the Asian Para Video games held in Hangzhou.
Regardless of a heartbreaking fourth-place end on the 2024 World Championships, Sema’s resolve remained unshaken.
The pivotal second arrived throughout his inaugural Paralympics look, the place he confronted intense competitors.
Secured to his throwing chair, every of his six makes an attempt showcased his unwavering dedication and bodily prowess.
On his second throw, he reached the 14m mark and subsequently improved to 14.40m.
Sema’s crowning achievement got here throughout his fourth try, surpassing his private finest with a throw of 14.49m, finally securing the bronze medal.
Yasin Khosravi, a 31-year-old Iranian athlete and two-time para world champion, secured the gold medal within the males’s shot-put F57 occasion with a Paralympic record-breaking throw of 15.96m. Thiago Dos Santos from Brazil claimed the silver medal with a throw of 15.06m.
Sema’s bronze medal win was celebrated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who praised the athlete’s outstanding power and dedication.
In a put up on X, PM Modi wrote, “A proud second for our nation as Hokato Hotozhe Sema brings house the Bronze medal in Males’s Shot Put F57! His unimaginable power and dedication are distinctive. Congratulations to him. Finest needs for the endeavours forward.”
Sema, who has been a beneficiary of the Khelo India initiative, acquired help for his coaching, boarding, and lodging by way of the Nationwide Centre of Excellence (NCoE) scheme.
(With PTI inputs)
