Manish Kaurav was not sure of winning a medal at the Hangzhou Asian Para Games on Tuesday but he remembers his wife and Indian para canoe team-mate Prachi Yadav telling him “we will not go empty-handed”.
The couple achieved a rare distinction of husband-wife winning medals in the Asian Para Games in Hangzhou. Prachi won the gold medal in canoe KL2 event on Tuesday to add to her silver in the VL2 category on Monday.
Manish picked a bronze in men’s canoe KL3 event on Tuesday.
“We met each other while training at the MP Water Sports Academy in Bhopal and married three years ago. It was the best thing to have happened to us,” Prachi told PTI from Hangzhou.
“We support each other as we are always together in ups and downs of our sport career. We inspire each other,” she added.
Prachi, a Tokyo Paralympian, had gone into Tuesday’s competition full of confidence but Manish was a bit unsure of whether he will get a medal.
“Every athlete competes to win a medal but you never know,” said Manish. “But I remembered Prachi telling me before my event that we should not go empty handed from this Asian Para Games, that gave me the energy and confidence,” Manish said.