PARIS: India's Bhagyashri Jadhav finished fifth in the women's shot put (F34) at the Paralympics here on Tuesday. Jadhav, making her second appearance at the Paralympics, produced a throw of 7.28 meters, which was not enough for a podium finish.
China's Lijuan Zou won the gold with a season-best throw of 9.14 meters, while Poland's Lucyna Kornobys secured the silver with an effort of 8.33 meters.
The 39-year-old Jadhav hails from Nanded district in Maharashtra. She slipped into depression after losing the use of her legs due to an accident in 2006. With encouragement from friends and family, she took to para sport.
Athletes in the F34 class face coordination impairments, including hypertonia (stiff muscles), ataxia (poor muscle control), and athetosis (slow, writhing movement of the limbs or trunk).