Shailesh, Bhati shine as India opens medal tally

India’s campaign at the World Para Athletics Championships began on a golden note as high jumper Shailesh Kumar produced a stunning performance to clinch the men’s T63 title on Saturday. The opening day of the competition also witnessed two world records, adding to the excitement of the event in New Delhi.

Shailesh, the 25-year-old Asian Para Games champion, cleared 1.91m to set a new championships record. His victory came as a major upset against reigning Paralympic champion and world record holder Ezra Frech of the USA, who had to settle for silver with 1.85m. India’s Varun Singh Bhati also returned to the podium with bronze, registering the same height as Frech but losing out on countback. Another Indian, Rahul, finished fourth with a personal best effort of 1.78m.

The win was particularly emotional for Shailesh, who hails from a farming family in Bihar’s Jamui district and contracted polio in his right foot as a child. Recalling his journey, he said he was often discouraged from pursuing sports and asked to focus on work instead. Watching the 2016 Rio Paralympics, however, convinced him to try para high jump. Training at the SAI facility in Bengaluru in the lead-up to the championships, Shailesh said adapting to conditions in Delhi and having “home food and home support” gave him an edge.

India’s medal count rose further when Deepthi Jeevanji claimed silver in the women’s 400m T20 final with a season-best time of 55.16 seconds. The gold went to Turkey’s Aysel Onder, who shattered her own world record by clocking 54.51 seconds. For Onder, the victory was also personal redemption, as she had finished behind Deepthi in the 2024 edition.

The morning session had already produced a historic moment when Thekra Alkaabi of the United Arab Emirates smashed the world record in the women’s 100m T71 frame running event. The 23-year-old clocked 19.89 seconds to erase the previous mark of 20.08 seconds. Lithuania’s Bella Morkus, the former record holder, took silver, while Miriam Dominikowska of Poland finished with bronze. Alkaabi, who had earlier won a bronze medal in club throw at the 2023 Asian Para Games, called the record-breaking win a breakthrough in her sporting career.

Elsewhere, China’s Wen Xiaoyan underlined her dominance in the women’s long jump T37 with a meet record leap of 5.32m. In the women's shot put F41, Colombia’s Ariza Buitrago Mayerli stunned Tunisian great Raoua Tlili to claim gold with a throw of 10.21m. The Netherlands’ Noelle Roorda celebrated her first world title in the women’s javelin throw F46, recording a winning effort of 43.74m.

By the end of the first day, India had secured one gold and one silver, with Shailesh’s triumph standing out as a symbol of perseverance and belief. His victory not only gave India its first taste of gold but also lifted the spirits of the home crowd, setting the stage for what promises to be a memorable championship.