NEW DELHI: Two-time Paralympic gold medalist Devendra Jhajharia was among the 5 javelin throwers in a 12-member contingent that left for Tokyo from New Delhi's IGI Airport on Wednesday morning.
All the athletes that left for Tokyo on Wednesday are high medal hopes as they are top rank holders in their respective events. There is a high possibility that the javelin throwers may have a 1-2-3 finish for India. The contingent also included two high jumpers Nishad Kumar and Ram Pal and discus thrower Yogesh Kathuniya.
The Tokyo 2020 Paralympic Games opened on August 24 and will go on until September 5. Games will feature 539 medal events across 22 sports. A total of 54 para-athletes from India across nine sports disciplines will be featuring in these Paralympic Games, which is also the nation's biggest ever contingent to the Games.
On day one of the Games, Indian paddler Sonalben Manubhai Patel suffered a defeat against China's Qian Li by 3-2 in her opening match of Group D in women's singles -- class 3. World number 4 Qian Li defeated Sonalben in five sets by 3-2 (9-11, 11-3, 15-17, 11-7, 11-4) in 36 minutes. Sonalben Manubhai Patel will now be up against South Korea's Mi Gyu Lee on Thursday in her second Group D match.
Elsewhere, another Indian paddler Bhavinaben Hasmukhbhai Patel lost to China's Zhou Ying by 3-0 in her opening match of Group A in women's singles -- Class 4 -- at the Tokyo Metropolitan Gymnasium, Table 5. 2008 and 2012 Olympic champion, Zhou Ying overwhelmed Bhavina Patel in straight sets by 3-0 (11-3, 11-9, 11-2) in just 18 minutes. Bhavinaben Hasmukhbhai Patel will now clash with Megan Shackleton of Great Britain on Thursday in her final Group A match.