Para Worlds: Nishad, Simran win gold; Preeti, Pardeep bag bronze
The four-medal day sent India to the fourth spot on the medals tally behind Brazil, China, and Poland
New Delhi: Double Paralympic silver medallist Nishad Kumar won his first World Championships gold in the high jump T47 event while Paris Games silver medallist Simran Sharma won the women’s 100m T12 final with a new personal best at the ongoing World Para Athletics Championships here on Friday.
Nishad cleared 2.14m for a new personal best and Asian record and was followed by Turkey’s Abdullah Ilgaz who took silver with a European record of 2.08m. American Roderick Townsend, a three-time Paralympics gold medallist, won bronze with a best of 2.03m.
T47 classification includes athletes with upper limb impairment, such as a below-elbow or wrist amputation or impairment. Hailing from Amb village in Himachal Pradesh’s Una district, Nishad lost his right hand to a grass-cutting machine in the farms.
“I am very happy with my performance. This is my first major international gold after the Asian Para Games. I was gunning for the world record but sadly couldn’t clear it,” said Nishad of his failed attempts to clear 2.18m. The world, and championship record stands at 2.16m and belongs to US’ Townsend.
“The conditions were good and I was confident of jumping 2.18m. That’s why I didn’t set the bar at 2.17m. I will go for the world mark again very soon,” Nishad added.
In the women’s 100m T12, Simran, running with new guide runner Umar Saifi, clocked 11.95s to be the only competitor to dip under 12 seconds. China’s Yanfen Liang and Spain’s Nagore Folgado Garcia won silver and bronze respectively.
Another medal favourite Preeti Pal won bronze in the women’s 200m T35 event with a season’s best time of 30.03s. The gold went to Paris Paralympics silver medallist from China Guo Qianqian (29.50s) while Iraq’s Fatimah Suwaed won silver (30.00s).
Later, Pardeep Kumar bolstered India’s medal tally with a bronze in men’s discus throw F64, producing a season’s best of 46.23m. Croatian Ivan Katanusic won gold with his season’s best of 55.12m while USA’s Max Max Rohn completed the top three with 50.92m, also his season’s best. The four-medal day meant India climbed to the fourth spot on the medals tally with 15 podium finishes, behind Brazil, China, and Poland.
German Markus Rehm continued his unbeaten streak at the Worlds, winning his tenth World Championships gold and breaking his own Championship record with a leap of 8.43m in the men’s long jump T64.
