Rohan Chowdhury, New Delhi
Even though the day didn’t go exactly as planned, Praveen Kumar remained composed as he reflected on his performance and the physical challenges that held him back. The Paris Paralympics gold medallist high jumper in T44 had to settle for a bronze medal at the New Delhi World Para Athletics Championships 2025, with his best attempt of 2.0m in the evening.
“Yes, I lost two rounds today,” he admitted. “But I’ll try to score better in the next one. I had pain in my hip, so I had to stop midway. But it’s okay — I’ll fight through it.”
The 22-year-old high jumper revealed that he had been carrying a hip joint injury for the past few weeks. “I have a hip joint injury. I got a sprain about two weeks ago and have been resting since then.”
“But again, while jumping today, during the 2m jump, the pain came back. I’m still trying to recover properly,” he said, describing how the issue resurfaced during competition. After the media interaction was done, he was seen in pain while his support staff addressed him.
Despite the setback, Praveen’s focus has already shifted towards the future, with major events on the horizon. “I’m already starting to prepare for the Asian Games. I want to perform well there, and also at the 2027 World Championships. My focus is to stay consistent and avoid injuries. I want to stay fit till the Los Angeles Paralympics,” he said with quiet determination.
He didn’t hide his disappointment about not performing at his best. “Yes, definitely, I’m a bit disappointed that I couldn’t do my best on home soil.”
“I tried my best to recover and perform, but the injury made it difficult to give one hundred per cent. I’ll keep working hard and stay away from injuries”, he added.
His next goal, he said, is clear. “My next target is to win gold at the Asian (Para) Games and achieve my personal best”, he said. “I also want to compete strongly at the World Grand Prix events. I know I’m facing challenges right now, but I’ll bounce back.”
Looking back at his Paralympics preparation phase, Praveen revealed that his struggles with recurring pain had begun even then. “Before the Paralympics, I had a few practice competitions. I was following a strict diet and regular training. But during some exercises — especially ABC drills — I started feeling pain again. I stopped for a few sessions, but the pain kept coming back,” he said.
This wasn’t the first time Praveen had found himself battling injuries at the World Championships. “I’ve played in four World Championships — and I’ve been injured in all four. I don’t know what it is about World Championships and me!” he laughed wryly.
“In 2019, I cleared 1.90m but got injured right after. In 2021, I had pain in the same spot again. In 2023, my take-off leg had a 1mm muscle tear. It’s been tough, but I keep coming back.”
That perseverance, he said, is rooted in his ultimate goal. “The dream of winning gold keeps me going. I’ll try again in 2027 and make sure I take better care of my body.”
“I had an injury in Paris, too, but it healed well. So now I’m focusing fully on recovery and training for the Asian (Para) Games,” he concluded with a hopeful smile.
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