Rohan Chowdhury in Paris
Shailesh Kumar, India’s paralympic athlete in the T63 category of high jump, made history at the 2023 Hangzhou Asian Para Games by clinching the gold medal with a remarkable leap of 1.82 metres. This jump not only earned him the top spot but also broke a nine-year-long record of 1.8m previously held by Sharad Kumar.
In an earlier conversation with RevSportz, Shailesh shared his inspiring journey from a small village in South Bihar’s Jamui district to the international stage. His early years were marked by challenges, including being marginalised due to his disability. Reflecting on those days, Shailesh said, “People used to sideline me because of my disability.”
It was in standard V that his sporting journey truly began. Shailesh participated in long jump, high jump, and running events during his school’s sports day. Competing against able-bodied students, he secured second place in the long jump and claimed first in the high jump. This achievement changed the way people viewed him and fuelled his determination to pursue sports seriously.
From there, Shailesh’s growth was steady and impressive, progressing from district to national and international levels. Now, with his eyes set on a debut at the Paralympics in Paris, he’s ready to take on the world. In this exclusive conversation with RevSportz, Shailesh discussed his preparations for the upcoming Paralympics, his reflections on the recent Olympics, and what India can expect from the upcoming Games.
Excerpts
Q: It’s great to catch up after a long time. How are your preparations going?
Shailesh: Indeed, it is! It feels great to be talking to you and RevSportz once again. The preparations are going well. We’re almost at the final stage of our training regime, and soon we’ll be shifting into competition mode. I feel confident about Paris.
Q: You already have a gold medal from the Asian Para Games, proving yourself on the international stage. How are you approaching the Paris Paralympics?
Shailesh: Yes! Hangzhou was a great campaign for me, but the Paralympics is an even bigger platform. I learned a lot in Hangzhou, and I’m confident those lessons will serve me well in Paris. My preparations for the Paralympics have been intense, and I hope to improve on my record from Hangzhou.
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Hangzhou Asian Para Games Gold medalist @shailesh_jumper opens up on his preparations for @Paris2024.
He shares his thoughts on the Indian team’s performance in the recently concluded #ParisOlympics2024, #VineshPhogat‘s case, medal predictions for @Paralympics and… pic.twitter.com/DgyPAOJgWA
— RevSportz Global (@RevSportzGlobal) August 16, 2024
Q: Can you sum up your journey over the past year, from Hangzhou to Paris?
Shailesh: After Hangzhou, there were some changes in my life. I secured a job with the Bihar government and have been training at SAI Gandhinagar. I’m still training there, and the support from my coaches and SAI has been instrumental. I did miss the World Championships, which was a setback, but it gave me time to identify my mistakes and prepare thoroughly for the Paralympics.
Q: Did you follow the Olympics? Any thoughts on India’s performance?
Shailesh: Yes, I followed the Olympics. Overall, it was a good performance by the Indian team. Although we didn’t match Tokyo in terms of medal count, just look at the number of fourth-place finishes. If those had been converted, it would have been our best-ever Olympics. We’re slowly getting there.
Q: What are your thoughts on the Vinesh Phogat case and her missing out on a medal? As an athlete, how do you feel about it?
Shailesh: It’s disheartening. An athlete prepares for four years for that moment, gives everything in their preparation, and then to miss out on a medal like that is so unfortunate. But I would want to tell her to stay strong – life doesn’t stop here. Good times will come!
Q: Can you talk about the importance of mental health and how you’re preparing mentally for this big stage?
Shailesh: Mental health is of utmost importance for any athlete, even more so for para athletes, because we face additional challenges. For me, I attend sessions with a psychologist after my training and practice meditation. Meditation is key to maintaining my mental health, and I believe it’s something everyone should practice.
Q: In the Olympics, we discussed the goal of surpassing Tokyo’s record. At the Tokyo Paralympics, India won 19 medals. In Paris, we’re aiming for over 30. Do you think that’s achievable?
Shailesh: In Tokyo, we had 54 athletes competing and we won 19 medals. This time, with 84 athletes, I’m confident we’ll surpass 30. I can assure you that the para contingent’s preparations are going great, and we won’t disappoint our countrymen who have such high expectations of us.
Q: How are you planning the last few weeks before your event? Do you have a personal target?
Shailesh: I’m going to stick to the basics and continue working closely with my coach. The preparations have been solid, and I’ll just follow the process. I’ll give my hundred per cent and aim to make my country proud. I don’t want to set specific numbers or talk about medals.
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