Yogesh Kathuniya’s tone turns wistful when he is asked about the immediate aftermath of being diagnosed with Guillain Barre Syndrome, a rare neurological disorder where the immune system attacks the nervous system, as a nine-year-old. From being a naughty kid who was only interested in playing, Kathuniya was confined to a wheelchair.
“I would constantly ask my sister when I could play again,” Kathuniya recalled in an interview to Scroll. “She would always reply, ‘tomorrow’. Woh kal kabhi aaya hi nahi. That tomorrow never came.”
But what he did not know then was that he would, after years of treatment, walk and play again. And in 2021, he would be a Paralympic medallist.
Now 27, Kathunya, a discus thrower, is set to compete at the Paris Paralympic Games that start on August 28.
Kathuniya comes from an army background with his father serving in the forces. When he was diagnosed with Guillain Barre Syndrome, his family could only afford one month of physiotherapy treatment. His mother studied his treatment and took over as his physiotherapist. Her efforts paid off as Kathuniya was able to walk, albeit with some difficulty, in a couple of years.
With his mobility restricted, Kathuniya devoted his time and energy to focusing on his studies. Even though he did not know it then, devoting his time to his education was the beginning of his para sports journey.
His academic excellence saw him earn admission into the Bachelor of Commerce program at the Kirori Mal College, apart of the Delhi University. It was there that he was introduced to para sports.
Kirori Mal College, like many of the Delhi University institutions, has a system that supports student athletes, including para athletes. Kathuniya is one of three para athletes who came through his college’s sports programs over the years.
Sharad Kumar, who won silver in high jump at the 2020 Tokyo Paralympics, and Rinku Hooda, who won silver in javelin throw at the 2023 World Para Athletics Championship, are also alumni of Kirori Mal College. Both are also in the Indian contingent headed for the 2024 Paris Paralympic Games.
“It was my senior who introduced me to para sports and asked me to give it a shot,” Kathuniya said. “I wasn’t that interested at first. But I would go to the ground often and watch other athletes train and I slowly got into it.”
When he started out, Kathuniya competed in javelin throw, discus throw and shot put. In his first international event, the 2018 Berlin Para Athletics Grand Prix, he won gold in all three events and set the world record in the men’s discus F36 event.
That performance was followed by a fourth-placed finish at the Asian Para Games which earned him a spot at the 2019 Para World Championships in Dubai. Kathuniya ditched the javelin throw and shot put to focus solely on discus throw.
He clinched bronze in Dubai to secure his place for the Tokyo Paralympics. At the delayed Games in 2021, Kathuniya won silver in the men’s F56 discus throw event with a throw of 44.38m with Brazil’s Claudiney Batista taking gold with a Games Record throw of 45.59m.
The Tokyo Paralympics was India’s most successful edition so far with 19 medals including five gold, eight silver and six bronze medals. Kathuniya, like other Tokyo medallists, was the recipient of the Arjuna Award.
It was also after Tokyo that he decided to give back to the game which had brought him recognition. He decided to start his own academy to help other para athletes get the coaching and financial support they need to realise their potential.
“Sponsorship is the biggest issue for para athletes because everyone wants to give money only after you have done something,” he said. “My aim is to ensure that the hardships I had to face, the next generation of para athletes don’t have to face them.”
Kathuniya’s time at tournaments is divided into competing in his events and scouting for other athletes who might need help.
“A lot of para athletes drop out after a couple of years either because they have given up or because they don’t have financial means,” he said. “I don’t want anyone to give up because they lose motivation or because they don’t have enough money.”
The Yogesh Throwing Academy has already begun churning out medallists with F64 javelin thrower Pushpendra Singh and F37 shot putter Manu both winning bronze at the Hangzhou Asia Para Games last year. Manu will be in action in Paris along with Kathuniya, with both hoping they end up on top of the podium.
The 2023 season was a successful year for Kathuniya as he won silver medals at the Para Asian Games and the World Para Athletics Championships. However, a pinched nerve in his neck last year saw him spend some time on the sideline.
“We had to alter my preparations a bit over the last year,” he said. “You need to have your speed, strength and technique nailed down. My speed and technique is good but because of the injury, my strength had gone down. So I had to build it up again.”
Strength has been Kathuniya’s biggest roadblock in getting the better of Batista in their meetings. Kathuniya said that the two-time Paralympic champion was an admirer of his technique, but felt that his strength was bringing him down.
“Throwing events are all down to strength and you need it to be at its highest,” he said. “My coach, physiotherapist and nutritionist have come up with a rigorous plan which I am following religiously.”
In his comeback, at the World Para Athletics Championships in May, Kathuniya once again finished second behind Batista. Even though Kathuniya threw a season’s best 41.80m on his return in Kobe, Japan, he has bigger aims come the Paris Paralympic Games.
“My peak was in 2022,” Kathuniya said. “I want to be at that level and break the record again. I have been winning medals but I am not satisfied with my performances.”
Kathuniya wants to be the first to breach past the 50m barrier in his event. There won’t be a better time than the 2024 Paris Paralympics to do so.
