Soman Rana puts Paris Paralympics disappointment behind; eyes World C'ship gold

Chennai: At the Paris 2024 Paralympics, Para shot putter Soman Rana was a strong medal favorite.

But much to his dismay, he was unable to bring his A-game and returned empty handed while. His compatriot Hokato Sema won the F57 bronze.

At the 2025 National Para Athletics Championships here, Soman had his redemption. He put the horrors of the Paralympics behind to win the gold.

“In Paris, I was sure of wining a medal but things did not work out," Soman told The Bridge. "My body did not work as much as I wanted it to, and I was left behind.

Soman holds the national record in the F57 Shot Put with a best effort of 15.02m. But he settled for a 14.42m throw at the nationals, which got him gold over Hokato Sema, who finished second.

"I was on a break for three to four months after the Paris Paralympics. The performance [at the nationals] was good despite such a long break," said Soman.

From the battlefield to the podium

Soman Rana’s journey is nothing short of inspiring. His journey in para-athletics began after a life-altering incident in Jammu and Kashmir, where he was involved in a mine blast. He was an army man.

It was during his rehabilitation in Pune that he discovered the world of para-sports and found a new purpose.

“I saw a few other para-athletes and I was motivated that even I could do something. That's how I started,” he recalled.

Since then, he has represented India in multiple prestigious events, including the Paralympics and the Asian Para Games.

It has not been an easy road for Soman, having faced a lot of difficulties, but to him, they are mere obstacles.

"It is very difficult to maintain both your body and the game and move forward. There are a lot of difficulties but I am determined to push through," he said.

Rise of Para-sports in India

Having been at the forefront of the development of para-sports in India and its rising popularity, especially after the Paris Paralympics, Soman believes it is just the start, and he would not be far from the truth.

The recently concluded National Para-athletics meet had nearly 1500 para-athletes competing in over 150 events, from 30 states.

That, in itself, signifies the growing importance of para-athletics, and para-sports in general.

"People were unaware of para-sports earlier," said Soman. "Now, it is slowly becoming as popular as able-bodied sports.

"We won more medals in Paralympics than in the Olympics. Thanks to our performance and media coverage, people are now aware of para sports. This was not the case earlier.

"Now, you can see how many athletes are competing here. The next Paralympics, we'll win even more medals because awareness has increased, and the motivation has increased,” he added.

Eyes on the prize

The success at the nationals was just a start of what is a long season for Soman.

He has his eyes set on the World Championships which will be held in Delhi later in the year. He wants to throw past his personal best and national record throw in the event.

"The World Championships is more important than the India Grand Prix because I have already qualified,” he said.

"The season has just started. I need to throw around that [15.02m] in the World Championships. I will try to better the national record and be at that level," he added.

With target locked on the World Championships, Soman Rana is a man on a mission. If he can replicate his best form at the World Championships, there is little in the way of him and a podium finish.