Paris, Sep 4 (PTI) Para high jumper Sharad Kumar has not met his Ukrainian coach Nikitin Yevhen for more than two years due to the ongoing war between Russia and Ukraine but he was on the verge of breaking down upon learning that his ward had won his second Paralympic medal at the ongoing Paris Games.
The 32-year-old Kumar won a silver in T63 category after clearing 1.88m, while compatriot Mariyappan Thangavelu got a bronze with an effort of 1.85m. Kumar had won a bronze in the Tokyo Paralympics three years ago.
T63 classification is for athletes with single through knee or above knee limb deficiency.
Yevhen is based in Kharkiv, the second largest city of Ukraine and around 500km from capital Kyiv. Kumar trained under Yevhen in Kharkiv from 2017 till just before winning a high jump bronze in Tokyo Paralympics in 2021.
“I spoke to him last night, he is very happy (after learning Kumar’s feat). He sent me an audio, he was almost crying,” Kumar, who trained in Philippines before the Paris Games, said on Wednesday.
“The war has impacted me immensely, because my coach has not been able to be with me ever since the war started (in February 2022). Even when I was in Philippines, I was always having online chat with him.
“His blessings and his guidance is always with me. All the time I am in touch with him, every day.” Kumar had told
Source: PTI News
