Tokyo Paralympics: Thangavelu fails to defend title, wins silver

Tokyo, Aug 31 (IANS) Two Indian para-athletes came to Japan hoping to win their second successive gold medal in the Paralympic Games.

One of them, Devendra Jhajharia, had to contend with silver after losing to Sri Lankan Dinesh Priyantha Herath in javelin throw T46 on Monday.

The other, Mariyappan Thangavelu, too had to be satisfied with a silver medal as American Sam Grewe outjumped him in the Men's High Jump T63 at the Olympic Stadium here.

Mariyappan, who like Jhajharia had won the gold medal in Rio Paralympics in 2016, cleared 1.86m, and was looking good for a gold medal when Grewe took a chance at 1.88 and cleared it.

Mariyappan, whose leg was crushed by a vehicle when he was on his way to school in his village in Salem district of Tamil Nadu, went for 1.88 but could not clear it in the three attempts that he got.

India's Sharad Kumar took the bronze medal with a jump of 1.83m.

The third Indian in the field, Varun Singh Bhati, who won bronze in Rio Paralympics in 2016, finished sixth with a valid jump of 1.77m.