New Delhi: In his very first long jump outing at a major competition, Nishad Kumar won the Asian Para Games gold medal on Monday, October 19. Widely recognized as a leading para high jumper in the country, Nishad leapt 7.11m to secure his maiden long jump title at the Para Asian Games 2026.
Already the defending champion in the men's high jump T47 category, Nishad dominated the event from the outset by clearing 6.95m on his opening attempt. He subsequently improved his distance twice more to firmly cement his position at the top of the standings.
Aside from Uzbekistan competitor Khasanov Omadbek, no other athlete in the field managed to exceed Nishad's initial mark. Omadbek achieved a season-best jump of 6.99m on his fifth try, but it fell short of Nishad's standard. Omadbek and Sri Lankan athlete Mohammadu Safran ultimately claimed the silver and bronze medals respectively in the T47 long jump category.
The Indian athlete, who trains in the United States and is backed by Adidas, only began featuring in long jump competitions last year. He entered the Para Asian Games following a single prior long jump appearance in Muscat, where he competed in an able-bodied event and finished fifth among eight participants with a 7.22m effort. Having previously earned a silver medal at the 2024 Paris Paralympics, Nishad frequently participates in able-bodied events both domestically and internationally.
On Monday, Nishad demonstrated his athletic versatility by capturing India's second gold medal of the competition, following Mona Agarwal's victory in the women's 10m air rifle SH1 category.