Paris, Sep 6 (UNI) Praveen Kumar soared to victory in the men’s high jump T64 class at the Paris 2024 Paralympics on Friday, clinching India’s sixth gold medal—its highest ever tally in a single edition of the Games. The 21-year-old para-athlete set a new Asian record with a 2.08m clearance in the final, marking his second Paralympic medal following his silver at Tokyo 2020, where he had cleared 2.07m, also an Asian record at the time.
Competing under the T44 class, Praveen attempted to clear 2.10m at the Stade de France but narrowly missed, ending his run with a series of flawless jumps from 1.89m to 2.08m, all on his first attempts.
USA’s Derek Loccident cleared 2.06m to set a new Paralympic record in the T64 class, while Uzbekistan’s Temurbek Giyazov (T44) claimed bronze with a personal best of 2.03m. The final saw athletes from both T44 and T64 classes, which include competitors with limb deficiencies such as amputations or congenital limb differences, vying for the podium.
Born with a shorter leg, Praveen initially pursued volleyball before discovering his talent for high jump, impressing even against able-bodied opponents in junior competitions. Reflecting on his victory, Praveen credited his coach, family, and the support of the entire nation. “My only secrets are hard work, training, and keeping a good diet,” he said. “I’m happy with my jumps today.”
Praveen was India’s youngest para-athlete to win a medal at the Tokyo 2020 Paralympics in 2021. He continued his winning streak with a gold medal at the Asian Para Games last year, setting the then-Asian record, and secured a bronze at the World Para Athletics Championship 2023.
