Praveen Kumar of India won the gold medal in the men’s high jump T64 at the ongoing Paralympic Games, setting an Asian record with a jump of 2.08 meters. At 21 years old, Praveen has brought India its sixth gold medal, adding to the country’s total medal count of 26, which includes nine silver and 11 bronze medals.
Praveen, who won a silver medal at the Tokyo Paralympics three years ago, achieved his second medal and set an Asian record in this event. The USA’s Derek Lockey and Uzbekistan’s Temurbek Dzhozayev won bronze with jumps of 2.06 meters (Paralympic record) and 2.03 meters (personal best), respectively.
Praveen’s Performance
Praveen began his final with attempts of 1.80 meters and 1.85 meters before clearing 1.89 meters. He successfully cleared 2.08 meters on his first attempt but failed to clear 2.10 meters in three attempts. Despite this, he secured the gold medal.
See here also : paralympics-2024-from-struggling-with-mobility-in-childhood-to-winning-2-medals-and-making-history
Early Life and Journey
Born in Govindgarh (Noida), Uttar Pradesh, Praveen achieved remarkable success on the international stage. He became the youngest para-athlete to win a medal at the Tokyo 2020 Paralympics, securing a silver medal with a jump of 2.07 meters in the men’s high jump T64 category.
Praveen’s journey to becoming a para-athlete was filled with challenges. Born with a small leg, he initially struggled with feelings of inferiority compared to his peers. He began playing sports with friends to overcome his insecurities and developed a passion for volleyball. A turning point came when he participated in a high jump competition, which introduced him to opportunities available for athletes with disabilities.
Previous Achievements
Under the guidance of para-athletics coach Dr. Satypal Singh, who recognized Praveen’s potential, Praveen focused on high jump. This decision proved fruitful as he set an Asian record with a jump of 2.05 meters at the Asian Para Games 2022 and won gold. His previous accolades include a silver medal at the 2019 World Para Athletics Junior Championships in Switzerland and a gold medal at the 2021 World Para Athletics Fazza Grand Prix in Dubai with an Asian record. Recently, he won a bronze medal at the World Para Athletics Championships 2023, strengthening his position as a leading athlete in his category and qualifying for the Paris 2024 Paralympics.
