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India will be mighty proud of its high jump contingent that competed at the Paris Paralympics 2024. India clinched two medals in the men's high jump T63 final on September 3 with a silver and bronze finish. The final at Stade de France featured Sharad Kumar, Mariyappan Thangavelu, and Shailesh Kumar.
Sharad Kumar started his campaign in the final by setting the mark at 1.77m. Kumar impressed right away as he cleared the hurdle on his very first attempt. The 32-year-old followed it up by clearing 1.81 and 1.85m in one and two attempts, respectively.
Sharad continued to impress and cleared the 1.88m hurdle in his second attempt. However, his hopes to win a gold ended with the Indian jumper failing to clear either of the 1.91m and 1.94m mark. However, Kumar did clinch the silver medal.
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He was pipped by USA's Ezra Frech, who won the gold with a new Paralympic record of 1.94m. The second of India's para-athletes, Mariyappan Thangavelu, also started his final with the 1.77m mark, which he cleared right away. He took just one attempt to clear both the 1.81m and 1.85m hurdles.
With three straight fouls while attempting to clear 1.88m, the Rio 2016 gold medalist walked out of the arena with a bronze, his third consecutive Paralympics medal. In the previous edition of the Games in Tokyo, Mariyappan had won silver.
Shailesh Kumar comes in touching distance of achieving a podium finish in high jump at his maiden Paralympics
Shailesh Kumar was the third Indian jumper to have competed in the final. Kumar started at 1.72m, a hurdle he cleared on his first attempt. He followed it up by clearing 1.77 and 1.81m.
Shailesh made two attempts to clear the 1.85m barrier, which was also his new personal best. Kumar fouled in all of his three attempts for 1.88m. As a result, the 24-year-old ended his debut Paralympics campaign ever so close to a podium finish.
Having finished in a tantalizing 4th position, Shailesh would be feeling gutted. However, the rising star has shown the world that he holds enough talent to have a bright future in the para-high jump.
