From Jamui to national stardom, Shailesh Kumar thrilled after World Para Athletics C'ships gold

New Delhi [India], September 28 (ANI): Indian para-athlete Shailesh Kumar brought glory to the nation on Day 1 of the New Delhi 2025 World Para Athletics Championships as he clinched the country's first gold medal at the event at the iconic Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium on Saturday.

The high jumper from Bihar's Jamui claimed the top spot in the men's high jump T63 event with a sensational leap of 1.91 metres. This incredible jump, which was both his personal best and a championship record, was achieved in his second-to-last attempt.

Another Indian in the competition, Varun Singh Bhati, also made the country proud as the Greater Noida athlete grabbed the bronze medal with a jump of 1.85 metres. The silver medal went to the USA's Ezra Frech, the reigning Olympic champion, as per a press release from the Sports Authority of India (SAI) Media.

25-year-old Shailesh was pleased to have won in front of the home crowd. "We came here 10 days ago, and that gave us enough time to acclimatise. It feels good to win a medal (gold) in front of the home crowd," he enthused.

Shailesh practised in Bengaluru for months before coming to Delhi, and he said the change in weather - Bengaluru being pleasant - got in the way of his doing even better. "The target was bigger, but the heat was a bit of an issue. I am happy with my performance and hoping for much better in the next championship."

The Jamui athlete also shed light on his journey, which was full of challenges, and was thrilled to have come a long way. "I come from a small place, Islamnagar in Jamui. There were no facilities to speak of, if truth be told. I started high-jump training in school, and initially I participated in able-bodied competitions [in fact, I won a gold medal in a Bihar sub-state championship]. Later, a friend told me about Para games and that's how it all started," he said.

"SAI Gandhinagar helped me in training. I was selected there in 2019 after winning gold in the junior world championship. I was getting Rs 10,000 monthly and accommodation and food was provided. It was a great experience and the facilities were nice," Shailesh added.

With his performance on Saturday, Shailesh overcame a disappointing finish at the Paris Paralympics 2024, where he finished fourth in the most heartbreaking manner. The athlete credited his family and coach Raunak Malik for helping him reset and focus on this championship.

Shailesh Kumar of Bihar has been a part of the Khelo India Scheme since October 2019. He is also a part of the Target Olympic Podium Scheme (TOPS) Core group and a trainee of the Sports Authority of India National Centre of Excellence in Gandhinagar. (ANI)

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