Medal Galore! Double Podium For India as Mariyappan Thangavelu and Sharad Kumar Clinch Silver and Bronze in High Jump at Tokyo Paralympics

Medal Galore! Double Podium For India as Mariyappan Thangavelu and Sharad Kumar Clinch Silver and Bronze in High Jump at Tokyo Paralympics

Mariyappan Thangavelu, Sam Grewe, Sharad Kumar

Day 7 of the Tokyo Paralympics saw the men’s T64 high jump take place. India is already underway to experience its most successful Paralympics till date, and this finals was another opportunity to bag medals for the Indian Contingent. Mariyappan Thangavelu, Sharad Kumar and Varun Singh Bhati were in the mix to finish on the podium in the event.

USA’s Sam Grewe and Ezra Frech would give tough competition to the Indians in the finals. All the Indians crossed the 1.77m successfully in their first attempt, advancing to the next round. Unfortunately Varun Bhati could not clear the next height in his three attempts, and would retire in 7th place with a season’s best performance.

Thangavelu and Kumar continued to advance in the following rounds, clearing 1.80m in their first attempt. Grewe was moving right along with them, as he too cleared the height in the first go, placing all three athletes in a first place tie.

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Tokyo Paralympics: Mariyappan Thangavelu and Sharad Kumar Finish on the Podium after Strong Performance

Mariyappan Thangavelu, Sharad Kumar
Mariyappan Thangavelu, Sharad Kumar

The next height of 1.83 saw the first of the American men, Frech go out after failing to clear the height in 3 attempts. After Poland’s Lukasz Mamczarz failed to clear this height a medal was assured for both the Indians, who cleared this height in their very first attempt.

The next height of 1.86m was pushing the athletes to their limits, as the remaining three athletes, Thangavelu, Kumar and Grewe failed to clear the height in their first two attempts. Kumar could not clear the height even in the third attempt, meaning that he would finish in third place with a bronze medal after an exceptional performance and a season best result.

Thangavelu and Grewe moved on to the next height of 1.88m, where both athletes did not clear it in their first two goes. Thangavelu was holding first place on the basis of count back. However, after failing to clear the bar in the third attempt, and with Grewe clearing the height with a fantastic jump, Thangavelu would go on to win silver in a season best performance.

Grewe tried to clear the next height of 1.91m, but failed in all three attempts. Nonetheless, USA’s Sam Grewe walked away with the gold medal, while India saw a double podium finish, with Mariyappan Thangavelu finishing with a silver medal and Sharad Kumar winning a bronze medal.

Also read: Tokyo Paralympic 2020: Full Schedule for Indian athletes