India’s Shailesh Kumar kicked off the World Para Athletics Championships in New Delhi with a stunning gold medal win on Saturday. In the men’s T63 high jump, the para-athlete leaped 1.91 meters, not only grabbing the top spot but also smashing the championship record, according to ESPN.
The podium got even more exciting for India as American Paralympic star Ezra Frech took silver with a 1.85-meter jump. Fellow Indian Varun Singh Bhatti matched that height to claim bronze, while another Indian competitor, Rahul, finished fourth at 1.78 meters.
In other action, India’s Deepthi Jeevanji, a Paralympic bronze medalist from last year and world champion at the 2024 Kobe event, came close but settled for silver in the women’s 400m T20 race. She clocked 55.16 seconds, unable to defend her title.
So far, India boasts three medals at the championships—one gold, one silver, and one bronze. China leads the medal tally with two golds and two silvers, per Olympics.com.
Earlier in the day, Deepthi stole the show during qualifying for the women’s 400m T20 final. She dominated her heat, finishing first in 58.35 seconds—her season-best time at that point.
The New Delhi 2025 World Para Athletics Championships runs from September 27 to October 5 at Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium. It draws over 2,200 para-athletes from 104 countries for 186 medal events, making it the biggest para-athletics gathering ever in India. The meet doubles as a key qualifier for the Los Angeles 2028 Paralympics, highlighting India’s push for accessibility and top-tier para-sports.
India’s para-athletes have a strong track record here, with 45 medals overall from past World Para Athletics Championships—13 golds, 15 silvers, and 17 bronzes. At last year’s Kobe edition, they finished sixth with 17 medals, including six golds, five silvers, and six bronzes.
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