Hokato Hotozhe Sema, a 40-year-old Army Havildar from Nagaland, made his Paralympics debut remarkable by winning the country's 27th medal, a bronze in the shot put event with a personal best of 14.65 metres in his third attempt. Sema's inspiring journey includes losing his left leg in a landmine blast and taking up shot put at the age of 32. Yasin Khosravi from Iran set an all-time Paralympics record to claim the gold medal, while Sema's compatriot Soman Rana put up a solid performance but finished fifth.
Indian para-athlete Hokato Hotozhe Sema won a bronze medal in the shot put F57 final at the ongoing Paris Paralympics on Saturday. Hotozhe’s coach, Rakesh Singh Rawat, commented that the athlete was highly motivated and performed brilliantly in practice sessions, leading to his stellar performance in the final. Hotozhe expressed his gratitude towards his supporters and the Indian Army, who have been a constant source of inspiration for him. Additionally, Nagaland Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio announced a reward of Rs. 1.5 Crore for the athlete’s outstanding performance.
Defying the odds, shot-putter Hokato Sema from Nagaland became the first athlete from his state to win a Paralympic medal. After losing his leg in a landmine blast while serving in the Army, Sema had to give up his dream of joining the Special Forces. However, a decision to take up shot put in 2016 led to his national and international success, culminating in a bronze medal at the Paralympic Games in Paris.
Indian para-athlete Hokato Hotozhe Sema secured a bronze medal in the men's shot put F57 final event at the Paris Paralympics 2024. With a personal best throw of 14.65m, Sema finished third in the event held at the Stade de France. Another Indian athlete, Soman Rana, finished fifth with a best effort of 14.07m. The gold medal was won by world record holder Yasin Khosravi of Iran, while silver went to Thiago Paulino dos Santos of Brazil.