Indian para-rowers Narayana Konganapalle and Anita, who won a silver medal at the Asian Para Games, finished eighth overall in the PR3 mixed double sculls rowing event at the Paris Paralympics on Sunday.
Making their Paralympic debut, the duo secured a timing of 8:16.96 seconds to finish second in Final B of their repechage event, which determined their final standings. Saige Happer and Todd Vogt of the USA topped the Final B race with a timing of 7:48.38s, while Mexico’s Miguel Angel Nieto Carpio and Angeles Britani Gutierrez Vieyra came behind the Indians (8:28.23s).
The Indian pair had to compete in the Final B classification race for 7th to 12th spot after finishing third in their heat on Saturday. They had finished the race with a timing of 7:54.33s, behind Ukraine (7:29.24s) and Great Britain (7:20.53s).
Konganapalle, an Army sepoy, lost his left leg below the knee after stepping on a landmine while guarding the Indian borders in Jammu and Kashmir in February 2015. Anita lost her leg in a road accident when she was 18.
The PR-3 category is meant for para-rowers with residual leg function that allows them to slide the seat during the rowing motion.
Despite their valiant efforts, Konganapalle and Anita were unable to secure a medal at the Paralympics. However, their performance is a testament to their determination and resilience, and they will undoubtedly continue to inspire other para-athletes in India.
