Ukhrul: Hokato Hotozhe Sema made history as the first Naga Paralympic Games Olympian, securing a bronze medal in the men’s shot put F57 class at the Paris 2024 Paralympic Games on Friday, with a personal best throw of 14.65m on his fourth attempt.
The 40-year-old Indian para-athlete made his debut last year at the Asian Para Games with a 13.94m throw, earning him a bronze medal. He finished seventh at his first World Championships in 2023, later improving his standing with a fourth-place finish in Paris.
Hokato Hotozhe Sema hails from P. Vihoto Village in Niuland District, Nagaland. He developed an interest in shot put at the age of 32 while serving in the Indian Army. The para-athlete lost his left leg in a landmine blast during a military operation in 2002. His medal is a testament to his hard work and determination.
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“A proud moment for our nation as Hokato Hotozhe Sema brings home the Bronze medal in Men’s Shotput F57! His incredible strength and determination are exceptional. Congratulations to him. Best wishes for the endeavours ahead,” tweeted Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
Nagaland Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio expressed great pride in the outstanding achievement of Hokato Hotozhe Sema on securing a bronze medal in the shot put event at the Paralympic Games. In recognition of this monumental accomplishment, the Nagaland Government will reward the Olympian Hokato Hotozhe Sema with a cash prize of ₹1.5 crore. Additionally, the state will recommend him for the prestigious Arjuna Award, acknowledging his exceptional contribution to Indian sports.
The Chief Minister also announced plans to advocate for Sema’s promotion within the Indian Army and the Ministry of Defence, honoring his service to the nation alongside his sporting achievements. Furthermore, the government is committed to promoting sports development in Nagaland, inspired by Sema’s success. “Congratulations once again, Mr. Hokato Hotozhe Sema. You have made every Naga proud,” Chief Minister Rio declared, encouraging him to continue bringing more accolades to the state.
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The lone MP of Nagaland S. Supongmeren Jamir also extended Hokato Hotozhe Sema also wished the Naga Olympian for the success on the global stage. “I extend my heartfelt congratulations to Olympian Shri Hokato Hotozhe Sema for securing the bronze medal in the Shot put event at the 2024 Paralympics, representing India. Your remarkable achievement is a moment of immense pride for both our state and the entire nation. Your dedication, perseverance, and hard work have earned you this prestigious medal but have also made you a shining example of what can be accomplished with determination,” said S. Supongmeren Jamir.
It is worth noting that the first Naga Olympian from Nagaland in history is Chekrovolü Swüro. She made her Olympic debut as an archer in the 2012 London Olympics, representing India. Hailing from the Chakhesang tribe of Nagaland, Swüro is a distinguished figure in Indian archery and became a role model for young athletes from the region.
The Paris 2024 Paralympics witnessed India achieving a record tally of 29 medals, including 7 gold, 9 silver, and 13 bronze medals, marking a significant improvement since 2016. This performance placed India 18th on the points table. China led the overall tally with 220 medals, including 94 golds, followed by Great Britain with 49 golds and the USA in third with 36 golds.
India’s final campaign ended with Pooja Ojha’s exit from the women’s kayak 200m event, but the nation celebrated its athletes’ outstanding performances, finishing ahead of countries like Switzerland, South Korea, Belgium, and Argentina in the standings.
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India’s Medal Winners at Paris Paralympics 2024:
- Avani Lekhara – Gold (Women’s 10m Air Rifle Standing SH1, Shooting)
- Mona Agarwal – Bronze (Women’s 10m Air Rifle Standing SH1, Shooting)
- Preethi Pal – Bronze (Women’s 100m T35, Athletics)
- Manish Narwal – Silver (Men’s 10m Air Pistol SH1, Shooting)
- Rubina Francis – Bronze (Women’s 10m Air Pistol SH1, Shooting)
- Preethi Pal – Bronze (Women’s 200m T35, Athletics)
- Nishad Kumar – Silver (Men’s High Jump T47, Athletics)
- Yogesh Kathuniya – Silver (Men’s Discus Throw F56, Athletics)
- Nitesh Kumar – Gold (Men’s Singles SL3, Badminton)
- Thulasimathi Murugesan – Silver (Women’s Singles SU5, Badminton)
- Manisha Ramadass – Bronze (Women’s Singles SU5, Badminton)
- Suhas Yathiraj – Silver (Men’s Singles SL4, Badminton)
- Rakesh Kumar / Sheetal Devi – Bronze (Mixed Team Compound Open, Archery)
- Sumit Antil – Gold (Men’s Javelin Throw F64, Athletics)
- Nithya Sre Sivan – Bronze (Women’s Singles SH6, Badminton)
- Deepthi Jeevanji – Bronze (Women’s 400m T20, Athletics)
- Sundar Singh Gurjar – Bronze (Men’s Javelin F46, Athletics)
- Ajeet Singh – Silver (Men’s Javelin F46, Athletics)
- Mariyappan Thangavelu – Bronze (Men’s High Jump T63, Athletics)
- Sharad Kumar – Silver (Men’s High Jump T63, Athletics)
- Sachin Khilari – Silver (Men’s Shot Put F46, Athletics)
- Harvinder Singh – Gold (Men’s Individual Recurve, Archery)
- Dharambir – Gold (Men’s Club Throw F51, Athletics)
- Pranav Soorma – Silver (Men’s Club Throw F51, Athletics)
- Kapil Parmar – Bronze (Men’s -60kg, Judo)
- Praveen Kumar – Gold (Men’s High Jump T64, Athletics)
- Hokato Sema – Bronze (Men’s Shot Put F57, Athletics)
- Simran Singh – Bronze (Women’s 200m T12, Athletics)
- Navdeep Singh – Gold (Men’s Javelin F41, Athletics)
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