Para-athletes Pranav, Ajeet get TOPS funding for ahead of Asiad

The Sports Ministry’s Mission Olympic Cell (MOC) has approved lengthy overseas training stints for Paralympic silver-winning duo of javelin thrower Ajeet Singh and club thrower Pranav Soorma at a total cost of Rs 35.46 lakh to enhance their preparations for this year’s Asian Para-Games in Japan. The 32-year-old Ajeet has left for international training at Offenburg in Germany till September 16, while Pranav has flown out for a training stint in Czechia till August 15.

Both of them are a part of the government’s flagship Target Olympic Podium Scheme’s (TOPS) core group. Pranav, who became wheelchair-bound after a spinal injury caused by an accident at home, had won a gold at the previous Asian para-Games and is currently ranked world number one in his classification of F51.

During the training, for which 23.14 lakh have been sanctioned by the NS Johal-led MOC, Pranav will also participate in the Polish Championship, Czech Championship, Slovakia Championship, and the Ostrava League to gain experience and improve rankings.

Uttar Pradesh’s Ajeet, who lost his left arm to a train accident while saving his friend, had won a bronze in the previous Asiad. He had been training at the Sports Authority of India (SAI) National Centre of Excellence in Bengaluru.