GURJAR Sundar Singh

Classification
F46 (IPC, 04 Mar 2021)

Type of Impairment
Limb deficiency (Hindustan Times, 30 Mar 2016)

Origin of Impairment
Acquired (Hindustan Times, 30 Mar 2016)

Impairment Details
He lost his left hand in 2015 after a metal sheet was dropped on him at his friends house. "His parents had been picking up the metal sheeting which they used to cover the cattle shed. We felt if old people could do it, surely we can. The misfortune was that when I was lifting up the sheet, someone else dropped another sheet." (espn.in, 01 Jun 2018)

General
RIO PARALYMPIC DISAPPOINTMENT
He was one of the favourites to win a medal in the F46 javelin throw at the 2016 Paralympic Games in Rio de Janeiro, but was disqualified from the event for failing to register on time. He claims that when he was warming up he did not understand when his name was called to attend the registration desk. By the time he arrived at registration, it was too late and he was disqualified from the event. "A little miscommunication resulted in something so life-changing. I was never told about a fixed time, and I couldn't understand when my name was announced. The world knows that I was the best javelin thrower and had been the best in my category for the last few months. I don't understand English nor can I read or speak the language. That disqualification broke me mentally. A long period of depression followed, I did nothing for a good six months. I didn't want to touch javelin again. But my coach Mahabir Prasad Saini took me for counselling and arranged sessions with motivational speakers. The rest is history." (espn.co.uk, 26 Mar 2017; sports.ndtv.com, 14 Sep 2016; zeenews.india.com, 16 Sep 2016; paralympic.org, 26 Sep 2020; espn.co.uk, 25 Mar 2020)

TRAINING DURING PANDEMIC
While most athletes were forced to train at home during the COVID-19 pandemic he remained at the Sawai Mansingh Stadium in Jaipur, India and even lived at the stadium's in-built hostel for four months so he could keep training. "I want to be at Tokyo in the best of shape. I didn't want to sit at home and wait for things to happen. So, I made a request to our [state sports] minister and he allowed me to use the hostel." (paralympic.org, 26 Sep 2020; rediff.com, 30 Jul 2020)