Nishad Kumar won India’s second medal at the ongoing Tokyo Paralympics on Sunday, claiming silver in the men’s high jump T47 final with a best jump of 2.06m, matching his personal best and Asian record.
The 21-year-old is the world No 3 in this category and finished behind only American world No 2 Roderick Townsend who created a new world record breaking his own previous mark. World No 1 Dallas Wise, also from US, was declared joint silver medallist.
Ram Pal Chahar was also in action in the first high jump event featuring Indians at the Games, finishing with an equal personal best of of 1.94m.
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Nishad started off with a first-time clearance for 1.89m and 1.94m. He missed the 1.98m mark the first time, but cleared it with his second attempt.
Given the way the competition was lined up, coming close to his personal and season best would have put him in medal contention. He sealed that with a first-time clearance of 2.02m on his first attempt. By the end, only three athletes were left in the fray as China’s Chen Hongije missed the 2.02m clearance.
The Indian then cleared 2.06m with his second attempt to equal his personal best and the Asian Record as well. He missed his three attempts for 2.09m but had done enough to earn silver.
What is men’s High Jump - T47 class
LIMB DEFICIENCIES - SPORT CLASSES: T42/F42 - T46/F46, T47; T/F61-64 These sport classes are designated for athletes with limb deficiencies, such as amputations or missing or shortened limbs from birth. All athletes in the 40s classes compete standing and do not use a wheelchair. In the sport classes 42-44 the legs are affected by the impairment and in the sport classes 45-47 the arms are affected, for example by above or below elbow amputations
Nishad, who is a farmer’s son in Himachal Pradesh’s Amb town, got his right hand got cut by a grass-cutting machine at his family’s farm when he was an eight-year-old.
Nishad had also contracted COVID-19 earlier this year while training at the SAI Centre in Bengaluru.
“Absolutely delighted that Nishad Kumar wins the Silver medal in Men’s High Jump T47. He is a remarkable athlete with outstanding skills and tenacity. Congratulations to him,” tweeted Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
Nishad had won a gold medal in the men’s high jump T46/47 event at the Fazza World Para Athletics Grand Prix in Dubai earlier this year. He began competing in para athletics in 2009.
(With PTI inputs)
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