Praveen Kumar Shatters High Jump Record, Leads India's Double Podium at Asian Para Games

India just celebrated a massive win at the Aichi-Nagoya 2026 Asian Para Games, with two-time Paralympic medalist Praveen Kumar clinching gold in the Men's High Jump T44 event, setting a new Games Record of 2.05 metres. Not to be outdone, his compatriot Banti secured a silver medal with a personal best jump of 1.92 metres, marking a historic one-two finish for India on Wednesday. This extraordinary display of talent not only defended Praveen's title but also showcased India's growing prowess in para-athletics. Praveen Kumar latest triumph builds on an already incredible career, including a silver at the Tokyo 2020 Paralympic Games and gold at the Paris 2024 Paralympics, along with a gold at the Hangzhou Asian Para Games and a bronze at the 2025 World Para Athletics Championships in New Delhi. The competition saw athletes from both the T44 and T64 classification compete together, a common practice in World Para Athletics to ensure robust competition, with Uzbekistan's Temurbek Giyazov, the previous Games Record holder, taking home the bronze this time. This stellar performance by Praveen and Banti at Aichi-Nagoya further cements India's reputation as a rising force in global para-sports. With such consistent medal-winning efforts, the eyes of the para-athletics world will undoubtedly be watching these athletes closely as they aim for future Paralympic and World Championship glory, inspiring a new generation of para-athletes across the nation.