Nishad Kumar on Sunday clinched the silver medal in the men’s high jump T-47 category at the Paralympics in Paris, France, with a jump of 2.04 meters. The gold medal was awarded to Townsend-Roberts from the United States, who set a season-best with a jump of 2.12 meters. The bronze medal went to Georgi Margiev from Russia.
Nishad Kumar previously earned a silver medal at the Tokyo Paralympics three years ago, clearing a height of 2.06 meters.
The T47 category is designed for athletes with below-elbow or wrist amputations or impairments.
Earlier in the day, Preethi Pal made history by becoming the first Indian woman track and field athlete to win two medals at the Paralympics. She secured bronze in the 200m T35 event with a personal best of 30.01 seconds.
At 23 years old, Preethi also became just the second Indian woman to win two medals in a single Paralympics, joining shooter Avani Lekhara, who won a gold and bronze in Tokyo.
India sent its largest-ever Paralympic delegation this year, demonstrating the growth of the para-sports industry in the nation, with 84 competitors representing 12 different sports. The country intends to improve on its past performance in Tokyo, therefore participation in the Paris 2024 Paralympics represents a considerable rise in both numbers and medal expectations. India’s performance at the Paralympic Games in Tokyo 2020 was its best, as the nation took home 19 medals total—five gold, eight silver, and six bronze.
(with agency Inputs)
