Paris Paralympics: India's Swimming Campaign Ends As Suyash Jadhav Fails To Reach The Finals

Competing in Heat 1, the 30-year-old finished in the fifth spot with a timing of 33.47, a 10th-spot finish overall. The top four swimmers from the two Heats make it to the final.

Jadhav is a gold medal winner in Asian Para Games, Winter Open Polish Championships and IWAS World Games.

Hailing from Solapur, Maharashtra, Jadhav accidentally touched an electric line while playing with an iron rod when he was in sixth grade.

Subsequently, both his hands were amputated below the elbow.

He became the first Indian para swimmer to achieve the ‘A’ qualifying mark in three straight Paralympics -- Rio 2016, Tokyo 2020 and Paris 2024.

The S7 category is for para swimmers with movement affected from a low to moderate level in arms, trunk and legs, moderately down one side, those with short stature, or the absence of limbs.

India has won only a medal in the sport in Paralympics to date, with Murlikant Petkar winning a gold in Heidelberg Games 1972.