Praveen Kumar’s high jump of 2.07m fetched him a silver medal in the men’s high jump T64/T44 event of the Paralympics on Friday. But the high-jump bar was not the only obstacle the 18-year-old B.A. second year student of Motilal Nehru College in Delhi had to clear to achieve success.
Praveen set a new Asian record with his jump but that was not enough to beat Great Britain’s Jonathan Broom-Edwards, who notched up his season’s best effort of 2.10m to take gold.
Silver medallist Praveen Kumar on the podium after the men’s high jump — T64 final on Friday. Getty Images
This was Praveen’s first major medal since taking up the sport in 2019. “I was a bit low on confidence when I cleared 1.97m in my second attempt, but I regained confidence after jumping 2.01m. I told myself I will give my best whatever it takes,” said Praveen.
Son of a poor farmer from a village near Jewar in Uttar Pradesh, Praveen came to know about the Paralympics from a Google search.
In 2018, he got in touch with coach Satyapal seeking guidance. But the coach had some reservations about the youngster’s short height. Praveen’s congenital impairment affects the bones that connect his hip to his left leg.
“His left leg is the impaired one, but his right leg has very strong muscles. So despite his short stature I took him under my training,” Satyapal said about his ward who stands at around 5’5”.
T64 classification is for athletes with a leg amputation, who compete with prosthetics in a standing position.
T44 is for athletes with a leg deficiency, leg length difference, impaired muscle power or impaired passive range of movement in the legs. Praveen is in the T44 category but is eligible to compete in T64 also.
The Covid-19 restrictions robbed the high jumper of proper training facilities. Praveen dug up a small pit near his house and filled it with soft mud to prepare a makeshift practice facility. Practising high jump without a landing mattress is hugely difficult and carries the risk of injuries.
Then in April this year, Praveen contracted the dreaded virus. His preparation got hampered but he wouldn’t give up. Post recovery, Praveen resumed his quest for glory, one that he jumped for with everything he had.
