Singh, Leary secure historic golds in Paris Paralympics

India’s Harvinder Singh clinched his country’s first gold in archery after a dominating display in the final against Poland's Lukasz Ciszek, while the South African duo Lucas Sithole and Donald Ramphadi secured a bronze in wheelchair tennis.

In swimming, Australia’s Alexa Leary, who survived a bike incident three years ago, bagged her second gold of the 2024 Paralympic Games.

Singh, who is pursuing a PhD in Economics from Punjabi University, also made history in the Tokyo Games when he landed India’s first archery medal, bronze, at the Paralympics.

First wheelchair tennis medal for Africa

Following a tense tiebreak, Lucas Sithole and Donald Ramphadi overcame Brazilians Leandro Pena and Ymanitu Silva 6-2 4-6 10-8, to win Africa’s first wheelchair tennis medal. Meanwhile Dutch duo Niels Vink and Sam Schroder won the gold medal match after defeating Britain's Andy Lapthorne and Greg Slade 6-1 6-1.

Ramphadi, 31, who developed brittle bone disease at 12, won the French Open doubles last year with Lapthorne and was a finalist in doubles at the last two editions of the Australian Open.

"This venue is something special. Last year I won my first Grand Slam here on my birthday, now I have a Paralympic bronze medal. For me, to be here and winning a medal is crazy – I am just going to enjoy the moment," Ramphadi said.

Sithole, 37, who lost his legs in a train accident at age 12, won the U.S. Open singles in 2013 and the Australian Open doubles three years later.

“It is our first big medal playing together and we’re very happy to write history," Sithole said.

"I was so happy to play with Donald today. He brought his A-game, even though he was nervous and made double faults – he owes me a whiskey... We were here to win today, not just represent.”

Alexa Leary’s record-breaking triumph

Australia’s Paralympic swimmer Leary claimed her second gold medal in a world record time. With a swim of 59.53 seconds in the 100 meters freestyle final, Leary broke her world record in the heats of the S9 category which includes swimmers with severe weakness in one leg.

The bubbly 23-year-old from the Sunshine Coast was in a coma in hospital in 2021 after sustaining permanent brain and leg injuries in a high-speed bike crash that left her with a punctured lung and multiple broken bones.

Her parents, warned several times by doctors that their daughter might not survive, turned to a clairvoyant.

"When I was in ICU (intensive care unit), my dad got a fortune teller and the fortune teller read that I wanted to go to the Paralympics. And I’m here," she said.

"Oh my God. I did it."

Leary's positive attitude and triumph over adversity has inspired Australia, giving her a profile to rival the country's able-bodied Olympic champion swimmers, Ariarne Titmus and Kaylee McKeown.

Her parents Russell and Belinda watched in pride from the stands at La Defense Arena as their daughter claimed her second gold of the Games, having also won the mixed medley relay.

"I wouldn’t be here without my mum and dad,” Leary said.

"When I was in the brain section, my dad stopped working, and my mum stopped. They were in the hospital with me for six months.

"Dad was constantly at his knees in that hospital every single day next to my bed.

"Dad will be having lots of tissues in his eyes, wiping his little tears. He doesn’t stop crying."