This was a week before departing for the Paralympic Games in Paris, when a sudden fever struck Hotozhe Sema Hakat. He was meant to be finalizing anything left, but rather he was feeling physically lethargic and mentally depress.
Sema, who stroked the bronze in the men’s F57 shot put event at the recently concluded Paralympic Games, had this to say: “Even on reaching Paris, I was sick and was not able to train as usual and managed to take only two days of rest to recuperate”
Sema was out of shape and out of thoughts of standing on the podium when he left ashore. But everything changed from the moment when 40-year-old soldier of Dimapur origin crossed the threshold of the Stade de France on September 6.
“The large audience within the stadium refueled me positively. It made me enthused. Once more, I sensed that I can do it. The level of my mind became so fresh and so active that I felt as though power was running in my veins everything is possible,” he said.
What ensues, is the stuff of dreams. “I am aware of where I rank in the world rankings. After being among the top 5, I know that if I give my all, I will have a chance to win a medal,” explained Saima.
That’s what he did.
Ella’s performances improved as she started increasing her personal records. She began by making a 13.88m throw, then went on to do 14.00m before doing the 14.40 marker. Still, his first and best in the evening came on this fourth throw, where he threw an impressive 14.65m, a personal best for him which placed him third behind Yasin Khosravi of Iran and Brazil’s Thiago dos Santos who won gold and silver respectively.
However, little of this might have come to fruition without the help of Colonel Gaurav Dutta, who introduced Sema to the sport, and everything began in 2016 as the Nodal Head of Pune Army Paralympic Games. “I used to visit a prosthetic center in the city of Pune and one day I met a patient called Saima there and offered him if he wants to graze some sports. He was quiet hesitant in the beginning but I explained to him my concept. In the army camp, I throw first and then give it to him to throw he could surely throw it further than I could,” said Colonel Gaurav.
The outcomes were still enough for colonel, present chairman of the Parachute Rowing Committee, rowing federation of india and members world pararowing committee to be satisfied with semas outputs. After being called within the fold of the army again this time to prepare for the hard physical work of the enlisted forces, a week after the training so officially ordered letter to join Node followed, which marked the commencement of a magnificent voyage.
It’s difficult but not impossible. In 2018 I took part in the Chinese Grand Prix which was my first international event after competing in the National Para Track and Field Championships in 2017. My condition was not the best back then, but all thanks to my military officer I managed to pull through and returned home with a bronze medal. “Remember.”
Such “I was concerned that sitting throw is a big challenge given that standing throw has been removed from the category I compete in Rakesh recalled. Sema added, “I was anxious, OIC explained that as I was winning in standing position where this seated technique is applied, there should not be any complication with the seated position.”
These words pushed him; finally, he went back to compete in 2022 and got the silver medal at the Moroccan Grand Prix. Then he earned a bronze medal in the Asian Para Games. However, in 2023 and 2024 Worlds they did not find the podium. Rakesh Rawat Major Subedar 15 Jat is confident that at the next Paralympic Games he will be able to achieve even better results than he was able to at this one.
“For a year we pushed ourselves and we didn’t take a holiday, and this is the prize we have earned. He is 40 and yet continues to work out. It is because of coming from the army that his mindset is always very strong,’’ said Rawat who started his two-year career unnamed Sema. Rawat also coached Kasinath Naik who had won a bronze in javelin at the 2010 Commonwealth Games but Saima’s achievement as a coach is nothing short of the best in his career.
Rohit has now started looking into the future, rather Seema would need a much expected break. He is looking forward to 2025 November Paralympic World Championships and wishes to come back fitter than before and perform at his best.”
