Para-athlete Nishad Kumar cleared 2.06 metres in the Men’s High Jump T47 event at the Tokyo Paralympics 2020, winning India a silver medal.
The T47 category is for competitors with a below elbow or wrist amputation.
This was the 20-year-old's personal best and an Asian Record as well. American Dallas Wise was also awarded a silver as he and Kumar cleared the same height of 2.06m. Another American, Roderick Townsend won the gold with a world record jump of 2.15m.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi hailed the achievement, calling Kumar a “remarkable athlete with outstanding skills and tenacity”.
“More joyful news comes from Tokyo! Absolutely delighted that Nishad Kumar wins the Silver medal in Men’s High Jump T47. He is a remarkable athlete with outstanding skills and tenacity. Congratulations to him,” Modi tweeted.
This is India’s second medal at the Tokyo 2020 Paralympic games. Earlier, Bhavina Patel won a silver medal in Table Tennis.
In 2019, Kumar helped India record its best-ever medal haul at the World Para Athletics Championship, where he won bronze in the Men's High Jump T47.
Kumar lost his right hand when he was just eight years old, as a result of an accident. He began competing in Para athletics in 2009.