World Para Athletics Championship: From heartbreak to golden excessive, Shailesh Kumarsyear of redemption

Shailesh Kumar’s fourth-place end on the Paris Paralympics final 12 months was a heartbreak he took greater than two months to get well from. On Saturday (September 27, 2025), he upset USA’s Ezra Frech, the person who topped the Paris podium, to not simply take gold on the opening day of the World Para Athletics Championships but additionally set a brand new championship document with a bounce of 1.91m.

The 25-year outdated from Bihar’s Jamui district, a former Junior world para champion in 2019 and silver medalist in 2023, was visibly completely happy along with his efficiency however insisted there was extra to return. He had already confirmed gold with 1.88m however pushed himself to go increased earlier than failing at 1.94m. “That was the goal however it didn’t occur, the climate was additionally a bit scorching and humid and tiring. But I’m assured I can do it within the subsequent competitors,” Shailesh stated after the occasion.

Playing at residence, he admitted, was a giant assist. “First particular factor was that it was on residence floor so I felt good with the assist. Secondly, the climate in India as a result of we practice right here so we’re used to it. And third, we don’t get Indian meals after we exit in order that helped rather a lot,” he stated.

The Junior title helped him get into the Khelo India scheme and becoming a member of the Gandhinagar SAI Centre the identical 12 months the place he nonetheless trains sometimes moreover the SAI Centre in Bangalore. He can be a TOPS athlete for the previous two years and the monetary assist – 10,000 monthly in KI and 50,000 beneath TOPS — has been a giant assist.

At the opposite finish of the spectrum was Varun Bhati, a 21-year outdated prodigy when he received bronze on the 2016 Rio Paralympics however has struggled to carry out within the final a number of years. His final worldwide medal got here on the 2018 para Asian Games and the now 30-year outdated admitted it had been a troublesome interval. “To be sincere, I haven’t slept correctly within the final 7-8 years, I’ll lastly give you the chance to take action tonight. 

“I had a variety of expectations from this competitors however I’m happy with the bronze. This is probably the most profitable 12 months of my life thus far and it’s good to be again. Loads of issues modified this time. My youthful brother is my power and conditioning coach, we tried new coaching strategies and I additionally went to USA for 45 days to coach on technical points. I’m hopeful of doing significantly better within the Asian Games and subsequent Paralympics,” Bhati insisted.