New Delhi, September 28: Indian para-athlete Shailesh Kumar brought glory to the nation on Day 1 of the IndianOil 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 USA's Ezra Frech, the reigning Olympic champion.
“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.”
“The target was bigger but the heat was a bit of an issue but I am happy with my performance and hoping for much better in the next championship.”
“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.”
“…SAI Gandhinagar helped me in training. I was selected there in 2019 after winning gold in the junior world championship. I was getting ₹10,000 monthly and accommodation and food was provided. It was a great experience and the facilities were nice.”
With his performance on Saturday, Shailesh Kumar overcame a disappointing finish at 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.
The IndianOil New Delhi 2025 World Para Athletics Championships, held from September 27 to October 5, brings together more than 2,200 para-athletes from 104 countries at Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium. Featuring 186 medal events, it is the largest Para-Athletics meet in Indian history and serves as a key qualifier for the Los Angeles 2028 Paralympics, showcasing India’s commitment to accessibility and sporting excellence.
New Delhi 2025 World Para Athletics Championships: 27th September – 5th October 2025 at Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium