Indian para-canoeists Yash Kumar, Prachi Yadav, and Pooja Ojha have moved to the semifinals after missing direct qualification for the finals in their respective heats at the Paralympics in Paris.
Para-canoeing involved canoeists competing in 200m sprint races on flat water. These races are held in two types of boats: kayaks and Va’a, or outrigger canoes.
All three para-canoeists needed to finish in first place to qualify directly for Final A.
In the Men’s Kayak Level 1 (KL1), debutant Yash Kumar competed in Heat 1 and finished last clocking 1:03.27.
The KL1 classification is designed for canoeists with severe impairments in their legs and trunk, who rely solely on their arms for paddling with a double-bladed paddle.
Similarly, Pooja Ojha finished last in the Women’s Kayak Level 1 (KL1) with a time of 1:16.09.
She previously reached the semifinals in the Tokyo Paralympics and finished eighth overall in the competition.
In the Women’s Va’a event, Prachi Yadav made her debut in the Paris Paralympics and secured fourth place out of six competitors with a timing of 1:06.83.
Unlike the kayak, the canoeists in Va’a use a single-bladed paddle, and the VL2 classification is for canoeists with partial trunk and leg function.
All three para-canoeists will compete in the semifinals on Saturday.
A higher finish will secure them a spot in Final A, the medal rounds, while those who do not advance to Final A will compete in Final B to determine their overall rankings in the competition.