Finance
Praveen Kumar of India won the gold medal in the Men’s High Jump T64 with an Asian Record effort of 2.08 metres at the current Paralympic Games on Friday.
The 21-year-old added a sixth gold medal to India’s tally, bringing the total to 26, including nine silver and eleven bronze medals. Praveen, who won silver in his Paralympic debut in Tokyo three years ago, not only won his second straight medal, but also set an Asian record in the process. Derek Loccident of the United States won silver, while Temurbek Giyazov of Uzbekistan took bronze with efforts of 2.06m (Paralympic Record) and 2.03m (personal best).
Praveen began his campaign in the final with an effort of 1.89m, having skipped prior tries of 1.80m and 1.85m respectively. The Indian para-athlete went on to clear all his efforts in one take till 2.08m before failing to clear the 2.10m in three attempts.
However, this did not affect his medal colour, as he finished first. Praveen, who was born in Govindgarh (Noida), Uttar Pradesh, rose to prominence on the international scene, becoming the youngest para-athlete to earn a medal at the Tokyo 2020 Paralympics.
He won a silver medal in the Men’s High Jump T64 category with an outstanding jump of 2.07 metres, a remarkable achievement for Indian athletics. Praveen’s path to becoming a para-athlete was riddled with hurdles. Born with a small leg, he originally felt inferior to his peers. To cope with his uncertainties, he participated in sports with friends and developed a liking for volleyball. However, his life took a major turn when he participated in a high jump event at an able-bodied athletics competition, which exposed him to the possibilities available for athletes with disabilities.
Dr. Satyapal Singh, a para-athletics coach who recognized Praveen’s talent, advised him to concentrate on the high jump. This decision paid off, as he went on to earn a gold medal in the Asian Para Games 2022, breaking the Asian record with a jump of 2.05 meters. Praveen has already won a silver medal at the World Para Athletics Junior Championship in 2019 in Nottwil, Switzerland, as well as a gold medal with an Asian record at the World Para Athletics FAZZA Grand Prix 2021 in Dubai.
Most recently, he won a bronze medal in the World Para Athletics Championship 2023, cementing his position as a top athlete in his category and qualifying for the Paris 2024 Paralympics.
Source:IANS
