Chennai: At the Paris 2024 Paralympics, Para shot putter Soman Rana was a strong medal favorite. But much to his dismay, he was unable to bring his A-game and returned empty handed while. His compatriot Hokato Sema won the F57 bronze. At the 2025 National Para Athletics Championships here, Soman had his redemption. He put the horrors of the Paralympics behind to win the gold. “In Paris, I was sure of wining a medal but things did not work out,” Soman told The Bridge. “My body did not work as much as I wanted it to, and I was left behind. Soman holds the national record in the F57 Shot Put with a best effort of 15.02m. But he settled for a 14.42m throw at the nationals, which got him gold over Hokato Sema, who finished second. “I was on a break for three to four months after the Paris Paralympics. The performance [at the nationals] was good despite such a long break,” said Soman. From the battlefield to the podium Soman Rana’s journey is …