Nishad Kumar and Simran Sharma celebrated their first gold medals at the World Para Athletics Championships, as India secured four medals on a remarkable day, moving up to fourth place in the standings. On Friday, both athletes achieved historic victories, with Nishad excelling in the men’s high jump T47 event and Simran dominating the women’s 100m T12 final.
Simran earned India’s first gold of the day with a personal best time of 11.95 seconds, marking her first title in this event. The talented 25-year-old from Delhi previously won gold in the 200m event at the last championships held in Japan and took home a bronze in the 2024 Paralympics. She aims to compete in the 200m race later in the event.
In addition to Simran’s success, Preethi Pal and Pardeep Kumar added bronze medals in the women’s 200m and men’s discus throw, respectively, further boosting India’s medal tally, now standing at six gold, five silver, and four bronze. With two days remaining, India is on track to surpass its best total of 17 medals from the 2024 championships in Kobe, Japan.
Brazil leads the overall medal table with 12 gold, 18 silver, and 7 bronze, followed closely by China with 9 gold, 16 silver, and 13 bronze, and Poland at 8 gold, 2 silver, and 5 bronze.
Simran’s victory is particularly inspiring considering her background. Born prematurely with visual impairment, she trains at the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium and credits her father, Manoj Sharma, for encouraging her athletic pursuits. She noted, “It’s fun to run for my country. I always wanted to do something for my country,” expressing her ambition to succeed in the 200m race.
Nishad Kumar achieved a personal milestone by winning the men’s high jump event on his 26th birthday, clearing 2.14 meters to set an Asian record. This gold represents his first in either the Paralympics or World Championships, despite previously winning silver medals at both the Tokyo and Paris Paralympics. He reflected on his journey, stating, “I have been waiting for this day for a year… It’s God’s will. No one can stop me.”
His victory is even more remarkable as he triumphed over the USA’s Roderick Townsend, a five-time defending champion, who finished with a height of 2.03 meters for bronze. Hailing from Una in Himachal Pradesh, Nishad lost his right hand in a lawnmower accident at six years old, demonstrating resilience and determination in his athletics career.
In other events, Preethi clocked a season-best time of 30.03 seconds in the women’s 200m T35 final, securing bronze, while Pardeep achieved a seasonal best of 46.23 meters in the men’s discus throw F64. The day’s performances underscored India’s growing strength in para athletics, showcasing the athletes’ resilience, talent, and dedication on the global stage.
Original Source: https://www.india.com/sports/nishad-kumar-simran-sharma-win-gold-as-india-jump-to-fourth-in-world-para-athletics-championships-8112695/
Category: Sports,Nishad Kumar,Pardeep Kumar,Preethi Pal,Simran Sharma,World Para Athletics Championships
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Publish Date: 2025-10-04 02:46:00
