Praveen sets sights on 2.10m at World Para Athletics meet

Para high jumper Praveen Kumar is eyeing a gold medal at the World Para Athletics Championships later in the year.
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Adversities haven’t deterred para high jumper Praveen Kumar from soaring to new heights. Confronted with a congenital condition that resulted in a shorter left leg, the 21-year-old from Uttar Pradesh has braved the odds and managed to carve out a successful career in the sporting arena.

In 2024, a glowing example of his ability and resilience shone through as Praveen cleared 2.08m in the men’s high jump T64 class and bagged a gold medal at the Paris Paralympics. He had already stood on the Paralympic podium once before, in Tokyo in 2021 when he claimed silver with a jump of 2.07m. In recognition of his exploits in Paris, Praveen was conferred the Major Dhyan Chand Khel Ratna award alongside Manu Bhaker, D. Gukesh and Harmanpreet Singh in January. He was the only para athlete to win the top honour this time.

“I consider my first gold to be in Tokyo, when I won silver. Life changed from thereon,” Praveen told The Hindu after winning gold in the T44 high jump event of the Khelo India Para Games at the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium. “There is a good source of income. The rest is normal. I have to maintain this. Once you achieve your goal, you have to maintain it. People start going downhill once you achieve something. To keep this intact, I am very motivated.”

The next target for Praveen is to win gold at the World Para Athletics Championships, scheduled to be held in September-October in the national capital. “My sights are on the World Para Championships. I am preparing to win gold there. That is something I have not done. I want to do 2.10m. I want to achieve my personal best mark,” he said.

Having competed against able-bodied athletes previously, Praveen wants to continue to challenge himself. “I set new goals. I want to continue to go up against able-bodied jumpers. The limitation is in the mind. If you feel you can achieve something, you can do it. If you feel it is difficult, you can’t. You have to keep being positive.”