India's Nishad Kumar won silver medal in men's T46/47 high jump at the 2020 Tokyo Paralympic Games. The 21-year-old covered a distance of 2.06m in his second attempt to equal his Asian record, before failing in three attempts in 2.09m.
He shared silver with USA's Dallas Wise, who also passed 2.06m and failed in 2.09m. Wise's compatriot Roderick Townsend won the gold medal with a time of 2.15m, breaking his own world record. Roderick exceeded all his heights on the first attempt, before failing to complete three attempts at 2.18m.
Hailing from Una, Himachal Pradesh, Nishad Kumar took up para sport in 2009. In November 2019, she won a bronze medal at the World Para Athletics Championships for a berth at the Tokyo Paralympics. Nishad covered 2.06m for the Asian record and gold medal at the World Para Athletics GP in February this year. He has maintained his form in Tokyo.
#Silver Medal for 🇮🇳#Athletics: Nishad Kumar wins silver medal with a best effort of 2.06m in Men's High Jump T47 event.#Tokyo2020 | #Paralympics | #Praise4Para pic.twitter.com/v5042FmCSX
— Doordarshan Sports (@ddsportschannel) August 29, 2021
Meanwhile, India's other competitor in the fray, Ram Pal Chahar, finished fifth with a personal best of 1.94m.
A 31-year-old man from Sonipat had his right hand amputated on his wrist following an agricultural accident in his childhood. He continued to play the sport like his able-bodied friends and was inspired by Amit Saroha in 2013 to take that career to the next level - like so many Indian para athletes. He quit his job to take the higher jump. He was rewarded after being a full-time athlete and qualifying for the Rio Olympics where he finished sixth. He will then go on to win a silver medal at the 2018 Asian Para Games.