World Para Athletics | Record-breaker Shailesh hopeful of scaling better heights

High jumper Shailesh Kumar’s fourth-place end on the Paris Paralympics final yr was a heartbreak he took greater than two months to get well from. On Saturday, he upset USA’s Ezra Frech, the person who topped the Paris podium, to not simply take the T63 class gold on the opening day of the World Para Athletics Championships but in addition set a brand new championship report in T42 with a soar of 1.91m. The T42 and T63 class jumpers competed collectively right here.

The 25-year previous from Bihar’s Jamui district, a former Junior world para champion in 2019 and silver medallist in 2023, was visibly pleased along with his efficiency however insisted there was extra to come back. He had already confirmed gold with 1.88m however pushed himself to go greater earlier than failing at 1.94m.

“That was the goal but it surely didn’t occur, the climate was additionally a bit sizzling and humid and tiring. But I’m assured I can do it within the subsequent competitors,” Shailesh stated after the occasion.

Playing at house, he admitted, was a giant assist. “First factor was that it was on house floor so I felt good with the help. Secondly, as a result of we practice right here we’re used to the climate. 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 yr the place he nonetheless trains sometimes apart from the SAI Centre in Bangalore. He can be a TOPS (Target Olympic Podium Scheme) athlete for the previous two years and the monetary help – ₹10,000 per 30 days in Khelo India and ₹50,000 below TOPS – has been a giant assist.

Varun is again

At the opposite finish of the spectrum was Varun Bhati, a 21-year previous 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 previous admitted it had been a tricky interval.

“To be sincere, I haven’t slept correctly within the final seven-eight years, I’ll lastly have the option to take action tonight. I had loads of expectations from this competitors however I’m glad with the bronze (in T63 class excessive soar).

“ This is probably the most profitable yr of my life to date and it’s good to be again. A number 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 elements. I’m hopeful of doing significantly better within the Asian Games and subsequent Paralympics,” Varun stated.