High jumpers Varun Bhati and Nishad Kumar shine in Khelo India Para Games athletics competition

High jumpers Varun Singh Bhati and Nishad Kumar stole the limelight as they won a gold medal each on the opening day of the athletics competition at the inaugural Khelo India Para Games here on Monday.

Rio Paralympics bronze winner Bhati from Greater Noida cleared 1.83m to beat Hangzhou Asian Para Games gold medallist Shailesh Kumar to finish on top of the podium in T42/T63 combined category in a top-class high jump duel.

The 28-year-old Bhati had won bronze in Rio in 2016 with a jump of 1.86m in T42 category. He had also won a silver in the 2018 Asian Para Games in Indonesia before missing the bus in the Hangzhou edition this year.

ALSO READ: Dangerous track for Kerala’s young athletes

Shailesh had won T63 gold in Hangzhou with a jump of 1.82m.

“When we started, he (Bhati) was a senior player and we were inspired by his success, so I am happy with my silver,” said Shailesh, who cleared 1.75m.

Bhati, on his part, said he had not come into the competition to beat anybody but only to do his best.

“I had not come here to beat any particular player, just wanted to give my best,” Bhati told  PTI.

Tokyo Paralympics silver medallist and Hangzhou Asian Para Games gold winner Nishad of Himachal Pradesh clinched the top spot in high jump in T47 category.

Nishad leapt 1.95m for the gold, while Rampal of Haryana took the silver with a jump of 1.85m. Chandresh Bagada (1.80m) of Gujarat bagged the bronze.

ALSO READ: Sprint world champion Lyles targets fourth gold for Paris Games

Haryana’s Monu Ghangas, another Hangzhou Asian Para Games medallist, won gold in men’s discus throw (F11 category) with an effort of 34.23m. He had won a silver in Hangzhou with a throw of 37.87m.

The men’s (T13 category) 100m dash was a thrilling affair. Pankaj Bhue of Odisha clocked 12.41 seconds to win gold. Avnil Kumar of Himachal Pradesh was second in 12.62s while Mangat Hembram (12.63 seconds), also from Odisha, took bronze.

Delhi athlete Chirag won the 100m gold in the T35/T36 category by registering a time of 13.49 seconds. Anubhav Chaudhary of Uttar Pradesh was second with a time of 14.39 seconds. Another Delhi athlete, Narayan Thakur won bronze, clocking 14.72 seconds.

Vinoth Kumar of Tamil Nadu took the gold in 100m dash in T38 category, clocking 13.07 seconds.