Nishad Kumar won India’s first gold medal in para-athletics at the ongoing Asian Para Games on Monday. He secured the top position in the men’s long jump T47 event with a best jump of 7.11 metres. The 27-year-old recorded the same distance in his third and fifth attempts.
Interestingly, this was Nishad’s first competitive appearance in the long jump event. He had earlier won a gold medal in the high jump T47 event at the previous Asian Para Games held in China. He is also a two-time Paralympic silver medallist.
Uzbekistan’s Omadbek Khasanov won the silver medal with a jump of 6.99 metres. Sri Lanka’s Mohammadu Safran secured the bronze medal with an effort of 6.55 metres. The T47 classification is for athletes with upper limb impairments.
Nishad lost his right arm in an accident involving a grass-cutting machine at his family farm in Amb, Himachal Pradesh. He was only six years old when the accident occurred. Despite this challenge, he has achieved remarkable success in athletics and continues to make India proud.
