Deepthi Jeevanji Secures Memorable Bronze in Paralympic Debut

Deepthi Jeevanji made a successful start to her Paralympic career by securing bronze in the women's 400m T20 category at the Stade de France. Her final timing was 55.82s, marking the biggest achievement in her athletic career. This victory came after some stiff competition from Ukraine's Yulia Shuliar, who bagged gold, and Turkey's Ayser Onder, who claimed silver.

Despite the challenging competition, Deepthi was determined to demonstrate her prowess. She put up an impressive performance, setting an excellent pace and saving her energy for a galvanizing final burst. But her efforts to secure silver were thwarted by Shuliar's powerful surge that ensured her the gold medal with a personal best timing of 55.16s.

Deepthi, who competes in the T20 category for athletes with intellectual impairment, hails from the village of Kalleda in Warangal, Telangana. Despite being born with unusual features that led to societal ridicule and discrimination, Deepthi's family staunchly supported her.

Her athletic journey began when she was recognized by coach N Ramesh at a state-level athletics meet in 2019. Ramesh, also known for coaching Dutee Chand, India's fastest woman, invited Deepthi for training in Hyderabad. Despite financial difficulties, Ramesh ensured Deepthi's training, which eventually bore fruit with her winning at the Asian Youth Championships and the 2020 Khelo India Youth Games.

With consistent performances over the last two years, including breaking the Asian record at the 2023 Para Asian Games and the World record at the 2024 World Championships, Deepthi proved her mettle. Even though she lost her world record to Onder recently, Deepthi's Paralympic medal reaffirms her place as one of the top athletes in para-sports. This medal is a significant milestone in the life of Deepthi, transforming the narrative surrounding her impairments into a celebration of her accomplishments.