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Tokyo 2020 Paralympics

4 medals in high jump — India's most successful discipline at the Tokyo Paralympics

Out of the six high jumpers India had sent to the Tokyo Paralympics, four have won a medal, making the discipline the most successful one for the country.

Indian mens para high jumper Nishad Kumar (Source: Paralympic Games/Twitter)
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Indian men's para high jumper Nishad Kumar (Source: Paralympic Games/Twitter)

By

Md Imtiaz

Updated: 3 Sep 2021 3:54 AM GMT

India has already bagged 11 medals, including two golds, at the ongoing Tokyo Paralympics. Thus the nation has made sure it is their best-ever Paralympic Games outing since it debuted in the 1968 Games.

Among the 11 medals India have won so far, eight of them have been won in para athletics. But what remains but the most surprising fact in the medal tally is that four of India's medals have been won by high jumpers. High jump is one of the disciplines, where India has seen constant success throughout the history of its participation in the Paralympics.

Girisha Nagarajegowda was India's sole medallist at the 2012 London Games, where he won the medal in men's high jump f42 category. In the 2016 Rio Games, Mariyappan Thangavelu created history by winning the gold medal in high jump in the F42 category, Varun Singh Bhati had also won the bronze medal in high jump at the Rio Games in the same category.

In the Tokyo Paralympic Games, India sent six high jumpers — Mariyappan Thangavelu, Varun, Sharad Kumar, Nishad Kumar, Praveen Kumar, and Ram Pal. Out of these six high jumpers, four will be returning home with medals.

On August 29, Nishad Kumar became the first Indian high jumper to win a medal at the Tokyo Paralympics. Nishad created an Asian record by jumping 2.06m to clinch the silver medal in the men's T47 category.

Just two days later, Mariyappan Thangavelu won his second medal at Paralympic Games, this time a silver in T63 category, with a season-best jump of 1.86m. In the same event, Sharad Kumar won a bronze medal with a 1.83m jump.

Lastly, on Friday, Praveen Kumar, participating in the men's T47 category, cleared an Asian record mark of 2.07m to bag another silver for India in high jump. India concluded the discipline winning four medals.

Unlike the other medal-winning events, India has never seen similar success in high jump at the Olympic Games, whereas the country has already won seven medals so far in the history of the Paralympics.

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