One and done: Nishad Kumar wins Para-Asian gold in first attempt as long jumper

In his very first long jump at a major competition, Nishad Kumar won the gold medal at the Asian Para Games on Monday, October 19. Nishad, known to be the best para-high jumper in the country, jumped 7.11m to clinch his first long jump gold medal at the 2026 Para Asian Games.

Defending men’s T47 high jump champion Nishad Kumar dominated the event from the very start as he cleared 6.95m in his first attempt. He improved twice in subsequent jumps to seal the top spot.

Asian Para Games, October 19: Live Updates

Nishad Kumar at the 2026 Asian Para Games. (Courtesy: DD Sports)

Nobody in the field, bar Uzbekistan’s Khasanov Omadbek, could beat Nishad’s opening dive. Omadbek jumped 6.99m on his fifth attempt, but even his best jump of the season was not enough to break Nishad’s mark.

Sri Lanka’s Omadbek and Mohammadu Safran took home the silver and bronze medals in the long jump T47 category. Courtesy: Asian Para Games

NISHAD KUMAR BREAKS BARRIERS

The Adidas-backed Indian superstar only started appearing in long jump competitions last year. He entered the 2026 Para-Asian Games after a single competition in Muscat, where he participated in a strong event and finished fifth among eight participants. He jumped 7.22 m there.

Nishad is a bona fide superstar in the Indian athletics ecosystem and trains in the United States of America. He won a silver medal at the Paris Paralympics in 2024. Nishad often participates in able-bodied races in India and since last year has started competing in able-bodied events outside the country as well.

On Monday at the 2026 Para Asian Games, Nishad showed how dominant he can be in the field even though it was his first long jump at a major competition. His opening jump of 6.95m was enough to put him in the lead and no other competitor managed to beat him.

His gold medal was India’s second in the event, behind Mona Agarwal’s best finish in the SH1 women’s 10m air rifle category.

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