India’s Simran Sharma narrowly missed out on a medal, securing fourth place in the Women’s 100m-T12 final at the Paralympic Games in Paris on Thursday. Sharma clocked a time of 12.31 seconds in the four-athlete final, falling short of a podium finish due to a slow start which hindered her performance.
Cuba’s Omara Elias Durand claimed the gold medal with a season-best time of 11.81 seconds. Ukraine’s Oksana Boturchuk took silver with a season-best 12.17 seconds, while Germany’s Katrin Mueller-Rottgardt earned bronze with a time of 12.26 seconds.
Sharma, who competed alongside her guide, Abshay Singh, struggled to overcome her slow start, finishing with a time of 12.31 seconds. Despite a strong effort, she was unable to recover and secure a medal position.
Earlier in the day, Sharma had advanced to the final by finishing second in Semifinal 2 with a time of 12.33 seconds at the Stade de France. She was edged out by Mueller-Rottgardt, who finished first in the semifinal. The top runner from each semifinal, along with the next two fastest overall, progressed to the final. Durand led the first semifinal with a time of 12.01 seconds, followed by Mueller-Rottgardt and Sharma. Boturchuk secured the final spot with a 12.36-second finish in her semifinal.
The Journey
Simran Sharma, a 24-year-old reigning world champion, has demonstrated remarkable resilience and determination throughout her career. Born prematurely and diagnosed with a visual impairment shortly after birth, Sharma has overcome significant challenges. Coached by her husband, Gajendra Singh, an Army Service Corps member, Sharma trains at Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium in New Delhi.
Her journey from overcoming mockery for her visual impairment to achieving global success inspires many. Sharma won gold in the T12 200m at the World Para Athletics Championships in Kobe in June and has also earned gold at the National Championship and Indian Open, as well as two silver medals at the Asian Para Games in Hangzhou last year. In the Tokyo Para Games in 2021, she finished 11th in the 100m-T13 with a time of 12.69 seconds.
Sharma’s dedication and hard work continue to shine, as she remains a formidable competitor on the international stage.
