Praveen Kumar’s run-up, braving the disability of his left leg, and jumping high above the bar, will remain one of the enduring images from the 25th edition of the Federation Cup athletics. It was an image of courage and inspiration.
We had seen his courage and skills at the Paralympics at the Tokyo Paralympics a few months ago. The 18-year-old from Noida had won the silver at the Tokyo Paralympics in high jump’s T64 category.
On Monday, afternoon at the Calicut University Stadium, he didn’t reach the podium. But that doesn’t matter. What matters is that he was competing in a normal National event, not for the disabled. He still came sixth, with a jump of 2.05m.
The event was won by Sarvesh Kushare of Maharashtra, clearing 2.25m. The silver went to Tamil Nadu’s R. Manivannan (2.15m) and bronze to Karnataka’s Jesse Sandesh (2.15m).
Andhra’s Yarraji Jyothi was in for disappointment though, despite winning the 100m hurdles in style. Her timing of 13.09s was better than Anuradha Biswal’s National record (13.38), set two decades ago, but it would not count because of wind assistance, which at +2.1 m/s was 0.1m/s more than the limit permitted.
On Sunday the wind had robbed Jeswin Aldrin of the National record — and the leading position in the world — in the men’s high jump. He nevertheless met the qualifying mark for the World championship.
Nobody could do that on day three, though. But Annu Rani attained the mark for the Commonwealth and Asian Games in the women’s javelin with her gold-winning throw of 61.15m.
Nayana James, who led a 1-2-3 for host Kerala in the women’s long jump, Maharashtra’s Komal Jagadale (women’s 3000m steeple chase) and her teammate Kushare (men’s high jump) also met the qualifying marks for the Asian Games.
The results:
Men: 110m hurdles: 1. Siddhanth Thingalaya (Mah) 14.08s, 2. Tarundeep Bhatia (Pun) 14.27s, 3. M. Krishik (Kar) 14.60s. High jump: 1. Sarvesh Kushare (Mah) 2.25m, 2. R. Mannivannan (TN) 2.15m, 3. Jesse Sandesh (Kar) 2.15m.
3000m steeple chase: 1. Shankar Lal Swami (Har) 8:32.01, 2. Balkishan (Har) 8:38.32, 3. Prince Raj Sharma (Skm) 8:41.42. Shot put: 1. Tajinderpal Singh Toor (Pun) 19.12m, 2. Karanveer Singh (Pun) 19.07m, 3. Naresh Antil (Har) 18.00m.
Women: 100m hurdles: 1. Yarraji Jyothi (AP) 13.09s, 2. Moumita Mondal (Ben) 13.78s, 3. C. Kanimozhi (TN) 13.88s. Long jump: 1. Nayana James (Ker) 6.47m, 2. Ancy Sojan (Ker) 6.33m, 3. Sandra Babu (Ker) 6.32m.
3000m steeple chase: 1. Komal Jagadale (Mah) 9:47.86, 2. Richa Bhadauriya (UP) 10:14.53, 3. G. Maheshwari (Tel) 10:47.30. Javelin: 1. Annu Rani (UP) 61.15m, 2. Shilpa Rani (Har) 55.72m, 3. Sanjana Choudhary (Raj) 54.19m.
