In a historic moment for Nepal, Palesha Goverdhan has won the country’s first-ever medal at the Paralympic Games. The 21-year-old Para taekwondo athlete captured the bronze medal in the women’s K44 -57kg weight class at the Paris 2024 Paralympics, defeating Marija Micev of Serbia with a score of 15-8.
This remarkable achievement marks a significant milestone for Nepal, which had never won a medal at the Paralympics before. The win is especially significant as it is the highest sports honor ever received by a Nepali athlete. Nepal had previously only achieved unofficial medals: Bidhan Lama's bronze in an exhibition taekwondo event at the 1988 Seoul Olympics and Tejbir Bura’s gold in alpinism at the 1924 Winter Olympics.
Picture by Elsa/Getty Images 2024
Goverdhan’s journey to this historic moment was filled with determination. She competed in her second Paralympics, having narrowly missed out on a medal at the Tokyo 2020 Games. At those Games, she lost the bronze medal match to China’s Li Yujie. However, her perseverance has paid off in Paris.
Before securing her bronze, Goverdhan showcased her skills with a dominant performance, defeating Valeria Morales of Venezuela 31-0 in the round of 16. She then faced a tough quarter-final against Tokyo 2020 bronze medallist Silvana Fernandes of Brazil, losing narrowly 8-10. But Goverdhan didn’t let this setback deter her; she bounced back by defeating Sophie Caverzan of France 2-1 in the repechage round, earning her place in the bronze medal match.
Goverdhan’s victory builds on her impressive achievements, including becoming the first Nepali athlete to win a medal at the Asian Para Games in 2022.
While other Nepali athletes faced challenges—Bharat Singh Mahata was eliminated in the men’s K44 -58kg round of 16, and para swimmer Bhim Bahadur Kumal is set to compete in the men’s 50m freestyle Heat—Goverdhan’s success is a shining beacon for Nepali sports and offers hope and inspiration for future athletes. Her historic win at the Paris 2024 Paralympics will be remembered as a defining moment in Nepal's sporting history.
