Sidra Muskan and Nidhi Mishra may be visually impaired but they haven’t stopped dreaming. Muskaan (19 years old) dreams of achieving the feat in the long jump at the 2024 Paris Paralympic Games. Nidhi (28 years) has won a bronze medal at the 2018 Asian Para Games and is confident of a podium finish in discus throw. Two para-athletes from Delhi will be a source of inspiration for all at the three-day National Athletics Championship for the visually impaired. Over 650 visually impaired players will gather at the Thyagaraj Stadium for this championship with only one goal in mind – to make the country proud.
When Sidra was eight years old, her parents were diagnosed with her low vision. His father is a driver and he tried everything possible to get good treatment. But due to a congenital disease, Sidra’s vision is now only 30 percent. Sidra has won silver in long jump and bronze in 1500m event in the 2021 PCI National Championship. In the 2022 edition, he won a bronze medal in the 400m. He said, “Out of five siblings, four have this disorder and I have only 30 per cent vision left. ,
Her next target is to qualify for the Asian Para Games in Hangzhou besides trying to get into the Paris Games squad. “The performance of Neeraj Chopra (javelin throw gold medalist at Tokyo Olympics) gave me a lot of hope and confidence that I too can qualify and win a medal in long jump. The Lady Shri Ram College student needed a guide to assist her in the track event, in which she had to rely on a ‘jump’ call from a line official in the long jump. “The track event is easy as I have a guide but my favorite event is the long jump which involves doing everything on my own. as soon as i line
The line judge says ‘jump’ and I jump. Nidhi, who won a bronze medal at the 2018 Jakarta Asian Para Games, is eyeing a podium finish in 2024 Paris. When she was nine years old, she was diagnosed with ‘retinitis pigmentosa’ which left her completely blind. She said, “When I was young, I could see. But at the age of 8-9 my eyesight started to decline. Nidhi did her doctorate in History and is now a lecturer. “I have already qualified for the Asian Para Games in discus throw, shot put and 100m. I thank my family for whatever I am today. Nidhi, who has won more than 100 medals at national and international level, said, “I am eagerly waiting for Paris 2024.
