2024 was an exceptionally eventful year for Indian sport. At the end of the year, ESPN India picks ten images that tell the story of the most stunning moments we witnessed in the last 12 months. Our ninth pick is a lovely moment when a mentor, despite finishing last, celebrated his protege's gold at the Paris Paralympics 2024.
How often do you see celebrations at an international sports event where the athlete who finished 10th is perhaps the happiest of the lot? One such example unfolded after the men's club throw F51 final at the Paris Paralympics. It was India 1-2, with Dharambir winning gold, and Pranav Soorma taking silver. However, the most beaming smile at the Stade de France belonged to Amit Saroha.
Saroha was the third Indian in the final, and he'd not had a good day, with his best being the worst of the finallists. He finished bottom. However, he wasn't going to let that dampen his mood as his protege was crowned Paralympic champion.
Protege, you ask? Yes, Saroha had been instrumental in Dharambir's training for many years before Paris. Back in 2012, Saroha had met Dharambir, who had a spinal cord injury, for the first time. From then on, they trained together, they worked together every day. The ultimate goal? Winning a Paralympic gold medal.
Imagine how the two would've felt then, that they were among the ten finalists in Paris. Just like three years ago in Tokyo. Then, Saroha had finished fifth, and Dharambir eighth. The mood in the build-up to the final in Paris was different, though. Dharambir was a clear favourite for medal, Saroha was also expected to be in the mix. How cool would it be for mentor and mentee to share a podium together? That remained elusive, eventually, but the scenes following the event were quite spectacular.
As Dharambir and Soorma rang the commemorative bell that was there for all the winners to ring, Saroha sat in his wheelchair by then, applauding, smiling, cheering them on. The medal wouldn't have his name on it, but he knew it was as much his as it was Dharambir's.
In many ways, it was a moment that encapsulated what the Paralympics are about -- celebrating the human ability to rise above and beyond notions that had already been created. So, what if he had finished last of the finalists on the big day? Do you know the satisfaction of watching someone you mentored conquer the world?
On the eve of Teacher's Day, Amit Saroha got to know what that satisfaction felt like. Dharambir had conquered the world, he could never have done it without Saroha.