Kathmandu, Aug. 31: Palesha Goverdhan, a 21-year-old para-taekwondoin trained by Kabiraj Negi Lama, has opened the medal accounts for Nepal at the Paralympics after winning a historic bronze medal at Paris 2024. Palesha defeated Marija Micev of Serbia 15-8 to clinch the first-ever medal of Nepal at the Paralympics.

The first para-taekwondoin to represent Nepal at the event in the 2020 Tokyo Paralympics, Palesha, then 18, had reached the same stage in her debut. However, she lost to China’s Li Yujie in the fight for bronze.

In the meantime, Yujie was the finalist for the gold at Paris 2024 when Palesha was fighting for the bronze. She defeated reigning world champion, Brazil’s Silvana Mayara Cardoso Fernandes in the semi-final.

Fernandes was the one who booked her berth against Yujie by defeating Palesha in the quarter-final. Palesha, who was leading 8-6 until a minute was left in the clock, lost by 10-8 by the end. Winner of the 10th World Para-Taekwondo Championships in 2023, Fernandes celebrated wholeheartedly after defeating Palesha, who ranks fifth in the world, as she won by the barest of margins in a competitive fight.

Palesha, on the other hand, was not satisfied as she and her coach were aiming for the gold ever since the list of participants in the women’s -58kg category was decided. And many believed in the duo.

Palesha defeated Venezuela’s Valeria Morales through the point gap rule as she crossed the 30-point mark with 2 minutes and 40 seconds left on the clock in the Round of 16, the entry round. Highly motivated and determined Palesha did not give a single point when she earned 31.

Nevertheless, the loss to the Brazilian led Palesha to repechage round, the fight for bronze. Palesha fought host France’s Sophie Caverzan in the first of the two fights for bronze. Fighting in front of a loud French crowd, the Nepali para-athlete stood her ground and won the low-scoring match; Palesha: 2 and Sophie: 1 in the five-minute round.

Palesha then reached the spot from where she had to return emptyhanded in 2020. And the opponent was not a new one in 2024. Plaesha defeated Serbia’s Marija Micev 23-15 at Tokyo 2020 to enter the final for bronze. Marija, who would have been happy to find a chance to return the favour, came to be Palesha’s opponent in the fight for bronze in Paris. Meanwhile, it was a motivation for Palesha as she was fighting an opponent, she defeated three years ago.

Palesha, who was moving forward to win every match she gets to fight, did not deviate from being denied the chance for the gold, or at least a silver, until the end. And in return for her determination, she finished her second campaign at the Paralympics with a historic bronze.

In Paris, Palesha and Marija shared 7-7 with a minute remaining. At the end of the match, Palesha won by 15-8.

The Palesha-Kabiraj duo has been training together since 2016.

They won bronze at the 4th Asian Para-Taekwondo Championship in 2018, gold at the 2021 Asian Youth Para Games and bronze at 2022 Asian Para Games. They made yet another history with the bronze at Paris 2024; a moment of celebration for all Nepalis.

Likewise, the duo, who did not receive any recognisable support in their journey from the government and its authorities back home, has made a statement with the Paralympic bronze medal and raised their voice demanding investment in sports.