For high jumper Shailesh Kumar, the fourth-place finish at last year’s Paris Paralympics was a devastating blow that took him over two months to overcome. But on Saturday, he turned heartbreak into triumph, not only clinching the T63 category gold on the opening day of the World Para Athletics Championships but also shattering a championship record in the T42 class with an incredible jump of 1.91m. Both T42 and T63 category athletes competed together in this event.
The 25-year-old talent from Jamui district in Bihar, who previously won a Junior World Para Championship in 2019 and a silver in 2023, radiated happiness with his performance. Yet, he hinted at even greater aspirations. He had already secured the gold with a jump of 1.88m but pushed further, narrowly missing 1.94m.
“That was my target, but it didn’t happen today. The weather was also quite hot, humid, and tiring. However, I am confident I can achieve that height in my next competition,” Shailesh stated after his remarkable event.
Competing on home turf proved to be a significant advantage, he admitted. “Firstly, being on home ground meant incredible support, which felt fantastic. Secondly, training here acclimatizes us to the local weather. And thirdly, getting to eat Indian food, which we often miss when competing abroad, was a huge boost,” he explained.
His junior title opened doors to the Khelo India scheme, leading him to join the Gandhinagar SAI Centre the same year, where he continues to train alongside the SAI Centre in Bangalore. For the past two years, he has also been a TOPS (Target Olympic Podium Scheme) athlete, with financial aid of ₹10,000 per month from Khelo India and ₹50,000 under TOPS providing crucial support.
Varun Bhati’s Triumphant Return
On the other side of the high jump pit, Varun Bhati, once a 21-year-old prodigy who earned bronze at the 2016 Rio Paralympics, has faced a challenging journey in recent years. His last international medal was at the 2018 Para Asian Games, and the now 30-year-old confessed to a difficult period.
“To be honest, I haven’t truly slept in the last seven or eight years. Tonight, I will finally be able to,” he shared. “I had high expectations for this competition, and I’m satisfied with the bronze medal in the T63 category high jump.”
“This has been the most successful year of my life so far, and it feels good to be back. Many things changed this time. My younger brother serves as my strength and conditioning coach; we experimented with new training methods, and I also spent 45 days in the USA focusing on technical aspects. I am optimistic about performing much better in the upcoming Asian Games and the next Paralympics,” Varun concluded with hope.