Noted Paralympian Deepa Malik aims to set a record in sea swimming

Noted Paralympian Deepa Malik will take a call on whether or not to participate in the 2020 Paralympics later this year. Malik, who won a silver in shot put in the 2016 Paralympics, has set sight on setting a new record in swimming.

The absence of shot put and javelin in her disability category, S3, in the 2020 Paralympics has cast a cloud over noted Paralympian Deepa Malik’s participation.

The only event in her category is discus and Malik has said that the nature of her injury rules out her participation in that sporting event. Malik, who is the first Indian woman to win a medal at the Paralympic Games, made no secret of her disappointment while talking to the media.

I did my best to learn discus, which has not been my major sport. I won a bronze at the Asian Games 2018 in Jakarta (in discus) in my run up to prepare for 2020. Unfortunately the side jerk with discus is causing injury in my cervical region. My spinal cord injury is very high. So the moment and jerk of discus is not suiting my body. So, I had to take a step down, because of the repetitive injuries. – Deepa Malik Paralympian

Malik will take a final call on her decision later this year, said daughter Devika Malik.

However, fans need to feel disheartened by the news because Deepa has set her sights on creating a new record. She is planning to take up swimming. Swimming is not new for Deepa, she is going back to her rots as she puts it. She already has a record in swimming the Yamuna River.

“My mother wants to set a personal record in sea swimming”, said Devika. “She was a swimmer earlier and has a Limca record for crossing the Yamuna river. Next, she plans to take up sea swimming and set a record. So, that’s in the pipeline”.

Malik, who is 45 years old and paralysed from the waist down, put India on the world para sports map with a silver medal in the shot put F-53 event for India at 2016 Rio Paralympics. She is also the oldest athlete in India to ever win a medal at the Paralympics. She won a gold medal in the F53/54 Javelin event at the World Para Athletics Grand Prix in Dubai in 2018.

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