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Anandan Gunasekaran

Personal information
Birth name	Anandan Gunasekaran
Nationality	Indian
Born	(1987-03-18) 18 March 1987 (age 37) Kumbakonam, Tamil Nadu India
Height	177 cm (5 ft 10 in)
Weight	69 kg (152 lb)
Sport
Country	India
Sport	Track and field
Event(s)	100m, 200m, 400m
Turned pro	2014
Medal record Men's track and field Representing India Military World Games 2019 Wuhan 100m 2019 Wuhan 200m 2019 Wuhan 400m National Para Athletics Championships 2018 Panchkula 200m Panchkula 400m World Para Grand Prix 2017 Dubai 400m

Anandan Gunasekaran (born 18 March 1987; Kumbakonam, Tamil Nadu) is an Indian track and field para-athletics runner who competes in the men's 100m, 200m and 400m events in the T64 category. He has participated at many international events. In 2018, he represented India at the Asian Para Games 2018 which was held in Jakarta, Indonesia from 6 to 13 October 2018 and won silver in the 400 meters and bronze in the 200 meters. He is the first athlete in the country to have won 3 gold medals in the Military World Games 2019 held in Wuhan, China, first Asian blade runner to create a new Asian record of completing 400m race in 52.66s at the 2018 National Open Para-Athletic Championship.

In 2016, Anandan set a new Asian record in the men's 400m by clocking 54.67s at the 2016 Asian Para Athletics Championships. He is also the first Indian blade runner to create two Asian records in the 400m. He was an abled body athlete before he lost a leg in an explosion that occurred along the LoC.

Early life

Anandan was born in Kumbakonam, Tamil Nadu on 18 March, 1987. As a 3 year old, he used to actively run around his kindergarten school Shankara Vidyala School. In grade 6 in Native Higher Secondary School, he had secured the first prize in 800m and 1500m race.

Born into a poor family, Anandan used to distribute newspapers to financially contribute to his father's income. One day, his cycle was punctured, so he continued the job running. It started as a fun activity, but he was soon running at state and national level events. By the twelfth standard, Anandan was all in as a serious runner. Inspired by the story of Indian soldiers at Kargil War, Anandan went into the army. In a training camp in Banglore, he ran a 12 km track which got him into the army's team. However, sports needed plenty of nutritional supplements, and on his salary, Anandan struggled to get it. But he continued to participate in racing competitions and brought the country numerous prizes.

In 2008, he was posted in Kupwara district of Jammu and Kashmir. He got injured in an explosion that took place along the Line of Control (LoC) and lost a leg. In 2012, Anandan ran 2.5 km in 9 min 58 sec in Mumbai marathon disabled category.

Career

Anandan represented India at the 2017 IPC World Para Athletics Championships in London. He also represented India at the 2019 Military World Games and claimed three gold medals in athletics events.

Achievements

International competitions

Representing  India

Year	Competition	Venue	Position	Event
2014	International Paralympic Grand Prix of 2014	Tunisia, Africa		100 m
				200 m
				4x100 m relay
	2014 Asian Para Games	Incheon, South Korea	6th	100 m
			6th	200 m
2015	Sri Lanka Army Para Games 2015	Colombo, Sri Lanka		100 m
				200 m
	2015 Military World Games	Mungyeong, South Korea		100 m
				200 m
2016	Asia Oceania Para Athletics Championship 2016	Dubai		200 m
				400 m
2017	Faza International Grand Prix of 2017	Dubai		400 m
	2017 World Para Athletics Championships	London, United Kingdom	8th	400 m
2018	Fazza International Athletics Championship	Dubai		200 m
				400 m
	Sharjah International Athletics Grand Prix 2018	Dubai		100 m
				200 m
				400 m
	2018 Asian Para Games	Jakarta, Indonesia		200 m
				400 m
2019	World Para Athletics Grand Prix	Paris, France		200 m
	7th CISM World Military Games	Wuhan, China		100 m
				200 m
				400 m

National competitions

Year	Competition	Venue	Position	Event
2015	Senior Para National Athletic Championship	Ghaziabad, Uttar Pradesh		100 m
				200 m
				400 m
2017	17th Senior Para National Athletic Championship	Jaipur, Rajasthan		100 m
				400 m
				4x100 m relay
				4x400
2018	18th Senior Para National Athletic Championship	Panchkula, Haryana		200 m
				400 m
				4x100 m relay
				4x400 m relay
	Indian Open Para Athletic Championship	Bangalore, Karnataka		100 m
				200 m
				400 m

References

1. Codingest. "Results - Paralympic Committee of India". paralympicindia.org.in.
2. "Army's Anandan Gunasekaran Wins 400m World Para GP Silver". The Times of India.
3. ^ Prasad, G. (14 May 2020). "Gutsy Anandan eyes Tokyo Paralympics". The Hindu. ISSN 0971-751X. Retrieved 22 July 2022.
4. Dutt, Tushar. "Army's Anandan Gunasekaran Wins 400m World Para GP Silver | More sports News - Times of India". The Times of India. Retrieved 22 July 2022.
5. ^ Rao, Mohit M. (12 October 2015). "Lance Naik Anandan returns with rich haul". The Hindu.
6. Mathews, Moni. "Gunasekaran, Karan scorch tracks on wet, cold day". Khaleej Times.
7. ^ Judge, Shahid (30 October 2019). "After losing leg at LoC, blade runner toasts second life – with triple gold". The Indian Express. Retrieved 30 October 2019.
8. "Para-athlete Anandan Gunasekaran bags two gold medals at World Military Games". Scroll.in. Retrieved 22 July 2022.
9. "Hero's welcome for para-athlete Anandan". sportstar.thehindu.com. 14 March 2016. Retrieved 22 July 2022.
10. "Gunasekaran and Karan scorch tracks on wet, cold day". Khalij Times. Retrieved 22 July 2022.
11. "Four Asian Records Fall in Dubai, UAE". International Paralympic Committee. Retrieved 22 July 2022.
12. ^ "Anandan Gunasekaran: The Blade Runner". Real Unsung Heroes. 3 March 2020. Retrieved 21 August 2021.
13. ^ Dash, Debi (5 November 2020). "Anandan Gunasekaran: India's Army Man Turned Blade Runner". THE BASTION. Retrieved 22 July 2022.
14. "Know Your Heroes | Anandan Gunasekaran - The Blade Runner". sportscafe.in. Retrieved 13 August 2022.
15. ^ "With one leg, Subedar Anandan conquers the world". Deccan Herald. 6 November 2019. Retrieved 22 July 2022.
16. Rajagopal, Rashim (22 November 2015). "A paramount blade runner". Deccan Chronicle.
17. Dream, My Indian. "Anandan Gunasekaran wins silver at World Para GP". My Indian Dream. Archived from the original on 10 August 2018. Retrieved 21 August 2021.
18. "Not 'Dis'-abled but 'Super'-abled army officer clinches golds at the Wuhan Para games in China". BookOfAchievers. Retrieved 13 August 2022.
19. "Ankur Dhama". indusind.com.
20. "Anandan Gunasekaran - Profile 2019 Military World Games". wuhan2019. Archived from the original on 28 October 2019. Retrieved 27 October 2019.

Further reading

• Chidananda, Shreedutta. "Hero's welcome for para-athlete Anandan". Sportstar. Retrieved 21 August 2021.

External links

• Anandan Gunasekaran at the International Paralympic Committee

• 1987 births
• Living people
• People from Thanjavur
• Track and field athletes with disabilities
• Indian male sprinters
• Medalists at the 2018 Asian Para Games
• Military World Games gold medalists
• Military World Games medalists in athletics (track and field)