Dhanush Srikanth wins India's first gold at Deaflympics Tokyo with new world record

Tokyo: Shooter Dhanush Srikanth bagged India’s first gold medal at the Deaflympics on Sunday, clinching the men’s 10m air rifle title with a world record performance in Tokyo.

The 23-year-old, who made a stunning debut at the 2022 Deaflympics in Brazil with two gold medals, shot 252.2 in the final to set a new Deaf Final World Record. Compatriot Mohammed Murtaza Vania took silver with 250.1, while South Korea’s Baek Seunghak claimed bronze with 223.6.

Training in Hyderabad, Dhanush had qualified for the finals in first place with a record-breaking 630.6 — a Deaflympic qualification mark — ahead of Murtaza (626.3). In the final, the national camper, based at the Karni Singh Ranges in Delhi, shattered both the Deaflympics and world records to secure his second men’s 10m air rifle Deaflympics gold.

Dhanush had previously won individual and mixed team gold at the 2022 Caxias do Sul Games. Returning to international competition after over a year, he will next compete in the mixed team 10m air rifle event alongside Mahit Sandhu on Monday.

Sandhu, 20, claimed the silver medal in the women’s 10m air rifle with a score of 250.5, while compatriot Komal Waghmare (228.3) took bronze. Ukraine’s Lydkova Violeta won gold with a world record 252.4.

Dhanush’s mother, Asha Srikanth, said from Hyderabad that the victory was a major boost after fluctuating performances over the past year. Born with congenital hearing impairment, Dhanush underwent two cochlear implant surgeries — the first at one year old and another at nine.

“He can hear with his cochlear device and communicates mostly through actions,” Asha said, expressing pride in her son’s journey from overcoming physical challenges to becoming one of India’s leading deaf athletes.

With inputs from PTI