Devendra Jhajharia clinches silver in javelin throw at World Para Athletics Grand Prix Morocco

Indian javelin thrower and Paralympics gold medalist Devendra Jhajharia clinched a silver medal for the country in the World Para Athletics Grand Prix held in Morocco on Saturday.

The event started in Morocco from September 15 and will go on till September 17.

Devendra threw the javelin to a distance of 60.97 m to capture the silver. Also, India's Ajit Kumar won the gold by achieving the best throw of 64 m.

Devendra thanked his coach Sunil Tanwar and fitness coach Lakshay Batra for his medal.

"I would like to thank Sunil Tanwar, my coach and fitness coach Lakshay Batra for this medal. The work we put in four months back in Finland helped me get this medal," said the athlete after his victory.

He thanked the Government of India for assisting him via the Target Olympic Podium Scheme (TOPS).

"The Government of India kept me in their TOPS scheme and bore the entire expenses, I would like to thank them," he said.

The athlete advised the youth to focus on sports.

"Nothing is difficult. I am 40-plus in age, but still winning medals for my country," he added.

Devendra is a three-time Paralympics medalist. He won Gold in the 2004 Athens and 2016 Rio editions of the Paralympics. In the 2020 Paralympics in Tokyo, he won a silver medal for his nation.

Also in World Para Athletics Championships, he won a gold medal in 2013 at Lyon while he won a silver medal in 2015 in Doha.

( With inputs from ANI )