Tokyo Paralympics 2020: Discus thrower Vinod Kumar aims for gold in his maiden Games

Seven months after he joined the Border Security Force, Vinod Kumar got injured after slipping on duty with his leg stuck in snow for a long time. It resulted in life-long paralysis. Vinod cannot walk now but the disability has not stopped him from going to Paralympics, his first.

He started playing the sport only in 2016 after watching Deepa Malik, the current head of Paralympic Committee of India (PCI) and silver medal winner from Rio Games. The visuals of Deepa playing on TV had a huge impact on Vinod, who ran a grocery shop in Rohtak post paralysis.

Running that shop was the only way out of the financial difficulties that had come his way. There were hard days to which Vinod never wants to return.

He was bedridden for 12 years. When his parents passed away, he had no choice but to get up and get going in order to feed his family.

"I faced a lot of financial struggles after being paralysed and started to run a grocery store after taking money from someone. I returned Rs 50,000 I had taken in three years thanks to the shop. I did not have a penny when I went to Paris. My sister helped me at that time. Coach Satyanarayana, my family has helped me reach here," said Vinod.

India's para-athlete Vinod Kumar reclassifies in the T/F52 category for Tokyo Paralympics 2021. pic.twitter.com/6nosZSUx00

— Prasar Bharati News Services पी.बी.एन.एस. (@PBNS_India) August 22, 2021

His journey started when an archery coach asked him to take up sport and visit the nearby stadium in Rohtak to seek the support of coach Amarjeet Singh, who used to train para athletes over there.

"My grocery store was near the stadium and an archery coach who used to visit me asked me to take up a sport. I told him how can I play when I am paralysed. He told me not to worry about that and go to the stadium. I went to the ground, met Amarjeet Singh."

A question from Amarjeet pinched him so much that he decided to quit everything and take up discus throw.

Vinod has still not forgotten that question: "He asked me, 'You have come here but how long will you survive here?' That comment really pinched me. I made sure I am going to give my all and thanks to that comment, I am here."

It was there that his coach Satyanarayana spotted him.

What followed was World Para Athletes Grand Prix in 2019 where Vinod clinched his first international medal in discus throw, a bronze. Two months later, in Dubai World Championships, quota awaited him but it was not to happen without complications.

When Vinod left him home for Dubai, he had some documents missing which led to further delays and he came very close to not participating in his event and eventually missing out on the berth for the Games.

"Due to some missing documents that I was not carrying, I could not reach the venue of the championships in time. Somehow it was sorted and I could reach there on the day of the competition. I reached just four or five hours before my event and won the quota," said  Vinod.

I will be playing on 29th August. We will try to win as many medals as possible in #Paralympics . This is for the first time that 54 players are going to the games. We shouldn't be disabled from mind & heart: Vinod Kumar, Discus thrower pic.twitter.com/Qo3gKADUlk

— ANI (@ANI) August 17, 2021

Vinod's throw of 19.29m placed him fourth in the event, but more importantly, it was good enough to get him to the flight to Tokyo.

The COVID-19 pandemic further delayed Vinod's dream of playing in the Paralympics as the mega event was delayed by a year. But it did not dampen his spirits. He continued to train alone at a field just beside his house in Rohtak. It did not matter if it was a hot or a cold day, Vinod would turn up daily for practice.

For the past year or so, Vinod has been staying at the SAI campus in Bengaluru, training under coach Satyanarayana, working day in and out to get better at the sport.

In March this year, he contracted COVID-19 and that led to one month of recovery. But that again did not stop him from taking part in the Nationals where he clinched gold.

Come 29 August, Vinod will look to put his struggles behind him in his quest for gold.