Indian para-athlete Praveen Kumar won a silver medal in the men’s high jump T64/T44 event of the Tokyo Paralympics on Friday. His high jump of 2.07m is his personal best performance that fetched him a silver medal in his debut paralympics only.
Not only this, Praveen also set a new Asian record with his jump.Great Britain’s Jonathan Broom-Edwards, who made a high jump of 2.10m won the gold. World record holder Poland’s Maciej Lepiato won the bronze medal.
Praveen’s Silver Medal Performance
Praveen’s 2.07 m high jump bagged him the silver medal at Paralympics.
“I was a bit low on confidence when I cleared 1.97m in my second attempt, but I regained confidence after jumping 2.01m. I told myself I will give my best whatever it takes,” said Praveen.
For his glorious achievement, PM Modi congratulated him via a tweet.
Earlier Praveen Kumar had won gold medal with Asian Record in the World Para Athletics FAZZA Grand Prix 2021 and Silver at the World Para Athletics Junior championship.
T64 classification is for athletes with a leg amputation,competing with prosthetics in a standing position. T44 is for athletes with a leg deficiency,
impaired muscle power, leg length difference, or impaired passive range of movement in the legs. Praveen is eligible to compete in both these categories.
More About Praveen Kumar
The 18-year-old B.A. second year student of Motilal Nehru College in Delhi had to face many obstacles to achieve success. He is a Son of a poor farmer from a village near Jewar in Uttar Pradesh.
He came to know about Paralympics from google search. In 2018, he got in touch with coach Satyapal to seek guidance. Praveen’s birth impairment affects the bones that connect his hip to his left leg.
“His left leg is an impaired one, but his right leg has very strong muscles. So despite his short stature I took him under my training,” Satyapal said about his student who has a height around 5’5”.
He took up the sport in 2019 only and performed miraculously in his first Paralympics. Also read Indians at Paralympics.
The Covid-19 protocols deprived the high jumper of proper training facilities. But he didn’t give up and dug up a small pit near his house and filled it with soft mud for practice. Then in April this year, Praveen was infected with the dreaded virus. After recovery, Praveen resumed his quest for glory, and made the nation proud by winning silver medal.
