India’s Praveen Kumar dazzled with a record-breaking performance in the men’s high jump T64 event, adding a Paralympic gold to his Tokyo Games silver here on Friday.The 21-year-old from Noida, who was born with a short leg, smashed the Asian record with a best jump of 2.08m in the six-men field to finish on top of the podium.USA’s Derek Loccident claimed the silver with a jump of 2.06m while Uzbekistan’s Temurbek Giyazov, who notched a personal best 2.03m, finished third.India surpassed its Tokyo Games gold medal tally after Praveen’s triumph in the men’s high jump T64 event. At the Tokyo Paralympics, India had won five gold, six silver, and eight bronze medals.Praveen won the country its sixth gold medal after clearing 2.08m.Opting to start from 1.89m, Praveen aced seven jumps in his first attempt to put himself in pole position to grab the coveted gold medal.The bar was then raised to 2.10m, with both Praveen and Loccident fighting for the top spot on the podium but failed to clear the mark.This was also the 2023 world championship bronze medallist’s personal best performance.T64 is for athletes with movement moderately affected in one lower leg or the absence of one or both legs below the knee. While T44, under which Praveen is categorised, is for athletes with movement affected at a low or moderate degree in one lower leg.His impairment, which is congenital, affects the bones that connect his hip to his left leg.Praveen’s odyssey toward becoming a para-athlete was marked by considerable trials. He often grappled with profound feelings of inadequacy in comparison to his peers as a child.He started playing sports to counter these insecurities and found a passion for volleyball.His life changed when he took part in a high jump event at an able-bodied athletics competition.This experience exposed him to the vast opportunities available for athletes with disabilities, igniting a new and inspiring trajectory in his journey.Praveen is the third high jumper after Sharad Kumar and Mariyappan Thangavelu to secure a medal in Paris.Simran into finalIndian track and field athlete Simran Sharma topped her heat and semifinal to enter the final of the women’s 200m T12 event. Simran, who is the reigning world champion, topped her heat with a timing of 25.41s to make the semifinals.As per rule, the winner of each heat qualify to final A. The three fastest runners in each semifinal qualify to Final A.The T12 classification in the Paralympics is for athletes with visual impairments.Dipesh finishes lastIndia’s Dipesh Kumar finished last in the final of the men’s javelin throw F54 event at the Paris Paralympics on Friday.The 19-year-old Indian finished at the bottom in a seven-men field with a best throw of 26.11m.Canoe sprinters advanceIndia’s Prachi Yadav and Yash Kumar qualified for the semifinals of women’s VL2 200m and men’s KL1 200m after finishing fourth and sixth in their respective heats.Kasthuri ends eighthIndia’s Kasthuri Rajamani equalled her personal best lift but failed to make an impact, finishing eighth among nine competitors in the women’s 67kg powerlifting event. The 40-year-old from Tamil Nadu lifted 106kg in her second attempt.India’s flag bearersGold medal-winning archer Harvinder Singh and sprinter Preeti Pal, who made history by becoming the first-ever Indian woman to win two medals at the Paralympics, will be the country’s flag bearers during the closing ceremony of the Paris Games.
India’s Praveen Kumar dazzled with a record-breaking performance in the men’s high jump T64 event, adding a Paralympic gold to his Tokyo Games silver here on Friday.The 21-year-old from Noida, who was born with a short leg, smashed the Asian record with a best jump of 2.08m in the six-men field to finish on top of the podium.USA’s Derek Loccident claimed the silver with a jump of 2.06m while Uzbekistan’s Temurbek Giyazov, who notched a personal best 2.03m, finished third.India surpassed its Tokyo Games gold medal tally after Praveen’s triumph in the men’s high jump T64 event. At the Tokyo Paralympics, India had won five gold, six silver, and eight bronze medals.Praveen won the country its sixth gold medal after clearing 2.08m.Opting to start from 1.89m, Praveen aced seven jumps in his first attempt to put himself in pole position to grab the coveted gold medal.The bar was then raised to 2.10m, with both Praveen and Loccident fighting for the top spot on the podium but failed to clear the mark.This was also the 2023 world championship bronze medallist’s personal best performance.T64 is for athletes with movement moderately affected in one lower leg or the absence of one or both legs below the knee. While T44, under which Praveen is categorised, is for athletes with movement affected at a low or moderate degree in one lower leg.His impairment, which is congenital, affects the bones that connect his hip to his left leg.Praveen’s odyssey toward becoming a para-athlete was marked by considerable trials. He often grappled with profound feelings of inadequacy in comparison to his peers as a child.He started playing sports to counter these insecurities and found a passion for volleyball.His life changed when he took part in a high jump event at an able-bodied athletics competition.This experience exposed him to the vast opportunities available for athletes with disabilities, igniting a new and inspiring trajectory in his journey.Praveen is the third high jumper after Sharad Kumar and Mariyappan Thangavelu to secure a medal in Paris.Simran into finalIndian track and field athlete Simran Sharma topped her heat and semifinal to enter the final of the women’s 200m T12 event. Simran, who is the reigning world champion, topped her heat with a timing of 25.41s to make the semifinals.As per rule, the winner of each heat qualify to final A. The three fastest runners in each semifinal qualify to Final A.The T12 classification in the Paralympics is for athletes with visual impairments.Dipesh finishes lastIndia’s Dipesh Kumar finished last in the final of the men’s javelin throw F54 event at the Paris Paralympics on Friday.The 19-year-old Indian finished at the bottom in a seven-men field with a best throw of 26.11m.Canoe sprinters advanceIndia’s Prachi Yadav and Yash Kumar qualified for the semifinals of women’s VL2 200m and men’s KL1 200m after finishing fourth and sixth in their respective heats.Kasthuri ends eighthIndia’s Kasthuri Rajamani equalled her personal best lift but failed to make an impact, finishing eighth among nine competitors in the women’s 67kg powerlifting event. The 40-year-old from Tamil Nadu lifted 106kg in her second attempt.India’s flag bearersGold medal-winning archer Harvinder Singh and sprinter Preeti Pal, who made history by becoming the first-ever Indian woman to win two medals at the Paralympics, will be the country’s flag bearers during the closing ceremony of the Paris Games.
