Paris Paralympics 2024: Praveen Kumar wins Gold in Men's High Jump - T64 event

Praveen Kumar wins Gold in Men's High Jump - T64 event. (Image: ANI)

Praveen Kumar secured a gold medal in the men's high jump event at the Paris Paralympics 2024 on Friday. With an impressive jump of 2.08m, he not only claimed his second Paralympic gold but also contributed to India’s 11th medal in Paralympics history.

The 21-year-old athlete from Noida, Uttar Pradesh, became only the second Indian, after Mariyappan Thangavelu, to win a gold in the high jump event at the Paralympics. Derek Loccident of the USA took the silver with a jump of 2.06m, while Temurbek Giyazov of Uzbekistan secured the bronze with a 2.03m jump.

This victory led India to a record-breaking sixth gold medal in Paralympics history, surpassing their five-gold achievement at the 2022 Tokyo Para Games. As the silver medallist from Tokyo, Praveen also helped India extend their record medal tally at the Paris Games to 26.

T64 is for athletes with movement moderately affected in one lower leg or the absence of one or both legs below the knee. While T44, under which Praveen is categorised, is for athletes with movement affected at a low or moderate degree in one lower leg.

(With Agency Inputs)