In a historic moment for India, Mariyappan Thangavelu won a gold medal,

while his compatriot Varun Singh Bhati clinched a bronze in the men’s high
jump T-42 event at the Rio Paralympics 2016. The 20-year-old Thangavelu
made a leap of 1.89m, while Bhati jumped his personal best of 1.86m to
finish third. The USA’s Sam Grewe bagged the silver medal. India’s other
medal prospect, Sharad Kumar, finished at number six.

T-42 is a disability classification in the sport for differently-abled track-and-

field athletes with a single ‘above the knee’ amputation or a comparable
disability. The event witnessed a fierce contest with six of the 12 athletes
clearing the 1.74m mark in their first eight attempts. However, Thangavelu
became a part of the leading group after his 10th attempt when he cleared
the 1.77m mark along with Lukasz Mamczarz of Poland, China’s Zhiqiang
Zheng, and Kumar. He then went into the lead along with Bhati as both
managed to clear the 1.83m mark. Kumar, however, could not improve his
performance and eventually crashed out of medal contention.

Grewe pushed Thangavelu and Bhati to the joint second position by

clearing 1.86m to grab the top spot. However, both Indians made a strong
comeback by equaling the height to share the pole position. Thangavelu
eventually secured the gold with an effort of 1.89m in his final attempt,
while Grewe and Bhati finished with their best efforts of 1.86m.

Thangavelu was injured at the age of five when a bus accident left him with
a permanent disability, while the bronze medal winner Bhati was
diagnosed with polio, which led to a deformity in his legs. This is India's first
medal at the 2016 Paralympic Games, and with Bhati's bronze, India now
has two medals in this edition. Thangavelu also became the first Indian
high jumper to win a Paralympics gold.

Questions
1.How did Thangavelu glorify our country?

2. What does the term ‘T-42’ mean?

3. How did Thangavelu become a part of the leading group?

4. What caused Bhati to become a person with physical disabilities?

5. Find a word from the passage which means ‘at the end of a period’.

Answers
1.Thangavelu won a gold medal in the men’s high T-42 event at the Rio
Olympics 2016.

2. ‘T-42’ is a term used in the sport for differently-abled track-and-field

athletes with single ‘above the knee’ amputation or a comparable
disability.

3. After his 10th attempt, Thangavelu cleared the 1.77m mark and thus
became a part of the leading group.

4. The bronze medal winner at the Rio Paralympics Bhati was diagnosed
with polio which resulted in deformity in his legs.

5. Eventually.
Mine:

Q: Who won the gold medal in the men’s high jump T-42 event at the Rio Paralympics 2016?
A: Mariyappan Thangavelu.

Q: What medal did Varun Singh Bhati secure in the same event?
A: Bronze.

Q: What was Mariyappan Thangavelu's leap height in the competition?

A: 1.89m.

Q: What was Varun Singh Bhati's personal best jump that earned him the bronze medal?
A: 1.86m.

Q: Who won the silver medal in the men’s high jump T-42 event?
A: Sam Grewe from the USA.

Q: Which Indian athlete finished at number six in the competition?

A: Sharad Kumar.

Q: What does the T-42 classification in the sport represent?

A: It is a disability classification for differently-abled track-and-field athletes with a single
'above the knee' amputation or a comparable disability.

Q: How many athletes cleared the 1.74m mark in the event, and in how many attempts?
A: Six athletes cleared the 1.74m mark in their first eight attempts.

Q: Why did Thangavelu become a part of the leading group after his 10th attempt?
A: He cleared the 1.77m mark along with Lukasz Mamczarz, Zhiqiang Zheng, and Kumar.

Q: How did Thangavelu secure the gold, and what were the final efforts of Grewe and Bhati?
A: Thangavelu secured the gold with an effort of 1.89m in his final attempt, while Grewe and
Bhati finished with their best efforts of 1.86m.