Nishad’s giant leap: From losing lower right arm to holding two gold medals

Nishad Kumar, a two-time Paralympic silver medallist, achieved a remarkable feat by winning two gold medals at the Asian Para Games, becoming only the third Indian to do so in a single edition. At just eight years old, Kumar lost his lower right arm in a fodder cutting machine while helping his mother on their farm. Despite this setback, he pursued his athletic dreams and went on to win the men's T47 high jump title in last year's World Para Athletics Championships in Delhi with a best jump of 2.14m.

Under the guidance of long-time coach Jeremy Fischer in California, Kumar adjusted his training regimen to focus more on long jump, while still maintaining a 70% high jump and 30% long jump split. He worked on strengthening his right arm, improving his take-off and run-up techniques, and visualizing himself as the power source. Coach Fischer helped Kumar recalibrate his mind and body, emphasizing the importance of controlling speed and rhythm in long jump and increasing speed in high jump.

Kumar's dedication to his training paid off when he broke his personal best in long jump (7.22m) during his US training stint and clocked a personal best in the Oman Athletics Grand Prix in Muscat. The 27-year-old athlete also received carbon fibre prosthetics worth Rs four lakhs in 2023, although he only wears them for long jump events and not for high jump.

Looking ahead to the LA Paralympics, Kumar remains focused on winning twin medals in high jump and long jump, inspired by the achievements of fellow competitors like Townsend, Tamberi, Tentoglou, Furlani, Sreeshankar, and Aldrin.