Two Bhutanese shot putters Gyeltshen and Chimi Dema are undergoing intense training, after receiving wild card entries for the upcoming 2020 Summer Paralympics Games slated to be held in Tokyo, Japan.

“I am sure the competition would be challenging because Bhutan is new to para-athletics. Other countries are advanced in terms of techniques and training levels. Still then, we are working hard,” said Gyeltshen while training for the August 24 - September 5 event.

Para-athletics coach Penjore Gyeltshen said Gyeltshen and Chimi Dema secured the minimum qualifying score (MQS) during the 2019 World Para Athletics Championship in Dubai, the United Arab Emirates, Kuensel reported.

“For shot put, the MQS requirement for men and women is 6 meters and 4 meters respectively. Gyeltshen managed 6.29m, and Chimi Dema maintained 4.51m,” Penjore Gyeltshen said.

However, Bhutan is yet to receive an invite from the International Paralympic Committee (IPC) for para-athletes in archery and shooting.

Bhutan Olympic Committee’s (BOC) head of sports research and development division, Namgay Wangchuk said the BOC applied for four athletes -  “Wild card application for athletics and bi-partite application for shooting and archery.”

The para archer is Pema Rigsel and the para shooter is Kinley Dem, the Kuensel report said.

“I am expecting all the wild card confirmation from IPC in June. Depending on the Covid-19 situation and travel restrictions, we have to make a travel arrangement,” Namgay Wangchuk said.

Pema Rigsel secured the MQS of 575 by grabbing 601 points during the day-long national MQS competition organized by Bhutan Archery Federation on May 15.

However, Kinley Dem said she was unlikely to get the wild card entry as she couldn’t achieve MQS.

(SAM)