Praveen Kumar wins gold, Banti takes silver in Men's High Jump T44 at Asian Para Games
Synopsis
Praveen Kumar didn't just defend his title at the Aichi-Nagoya 2026 Asian Para Games — he rewrote the record books, clearing 2.05 metres to set a new Games Record and seal gold. With Banti adding silver, India swept the Men's High Jump T44 podium, the latest chapter in Praveen's extraordinary run across the Paralympics, World Championships, and Asian Para Games.
Key Takeaways
Praveen Kumar won gold in Men's High Jump T44 at the Aichi-Nagoya 2026 Asian Para Games on 21 October , clearing a Games Record 2.05 metres on his final attempt.
Compatriot Banti claimed silver with a personal best of 1.92 metres , giving India a historic one-two finish.
Uzbekistan's Temurbek Giyazov took bronze with 1.86 metres ; his previous Games Record of 1.95 metres (Jakarta 2018) was broken by Praveen during the competition.
Praveen is a two-time Paralympic medallist — silver at Tokyo 2020 and gold at Paris 2024 (2.08m) — and also won gold at the Hangzhou 2022 Asian Para Games.
He additionally won bronze at the 2025 World Para Athletics Championships in New Delhi , clearing 2.00 metres .
Praveen Kumar clinched the gold medal in Men's High Jump T44 at the Aichi-Nagoya 2026 Asian Para Games on Wednesday, 21 October, clearing a Games Record height of 2.05 metres to defend his title. Compatriot Banti secured silver with a personal best of 1.92 metres, completing a memorable one-two finish for India in Nagoya, Japan.
How Praveen Broke the Record
Praveen opened his campaign at 1.92 metres before steadily raising the bar. He first surpassed Uzbekistan's Temurbek Giyazov's previous Games Record of 1.95 metres, set at the Jakarta 2018 Asian Para Games, with a clearance of 2.00 metres. He then sealed the gold — and a new Games Record — by successfully clearing 2.05 metres on his final attempt, underscoring his status as the dominant force in the category.
Giyazov completed the podium by claiming bronze with a jump of 1.86 metres.
Banti's Personal Best Seals India's Double Podium
Banti delivered a standout performance of his own, recording a personal best clearance of 1.92 metres to take silver. The result means India swept the top two positions in the event — a rare and celebrated achievement at a multi-nation Para Games competition.
Understanding the T44 Classification
The T44 category is designated for athletes with lower-limb impairments competing without a prosthesis, covering conditions such as limb deficiency, leg length difference, impaired muscle power, and impaired passive range of movement. This is distinct from the T64 category, which is for athletes competing with a prosthesis for similar lower-limb conditions.
Praveen Kumar's Remarkable Para Athletics Career
The gold in Nagoya is the latest milestone in what has been a swift and stunning rise for Praveen Kumar. He first stepped onto the Paralympic podium at the Tokyo 2020 Paralympic Games (held in 2021), winning silver in Men's High Jump T64 with a leap of 2.07 metres — then an Asian record. He went on to claim gold at the Hangzhou Asian Para Games (the 2022 edition, held in 2023), and topped that with a gold at the Paris 2024 Paralympic Games with a jump of 2.08 metres. Most recently, he won bronze in Men's High Jump T64 at the 2025 World Para Athletics Championships in New Delhi, clearing 2.00 metres.
With the Aichi-Nagoya gold, Praveen has now won across every major Para athletics stage — Paralympics, World Championships, and Asian Para Games — establishing himself as one of India's finest para-athletes of this generation.
Point of View
Gold at Hangzhou, gold at Paris, bronze at the 2025 Worlds, and now another Asian Para Games gold with a new record. Mainstream sports coverage routinely underplays para-athletics between Paralympic cycles; Praveen's sustained dominance deserves a permanent slot in India's sporting conversation, not just a footnote after the Olympics. Banti's personal best silver also signals depth in a category India has rarely swept — that story deserves its own scrutiny.
NationPress
21 Oct 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
What did Praveen Kumar achieve at the Aichi-Nagoya 2026 Asian Para Games?
Praveen Kumar won the gold medal in Men's High Jump T44 on 21 October 2026, setting a new Games Record of 2.05 metres on his final attempt. He also broke the previous Games Record of 1.95 metres, set by Uzbekistan's Temurbek Giyazov at Jakarta 2018, earlier in the same competition.
Who is Banti and what did he win at the Asian Para Games?
Banti is an Indian para-athlete who claimed the silver medal in Men's High Jump T44 at the Aichi-Nagoya 2026 Asian Para Games with a personal best jump of 1.92 metres. His performance completed a one-two finish for India, with gold medallist Praveen Kumar also representing the country.
What is the T44 category in para athletics?
The T44 category is for athletes with lower-limb impairments competing without a prosthesis, covering conditions such as limb deficiency, leg length difference, impaired muscle power, and impaired passive range of movement. It is distinct from the T64 category, which applies to athletes competing with a prosthesis.
What are the major career highlights of Praveen Kumar?
Praveen Kumar won silver at the Tokyo 2020 Paralympic Games with a jump of 2.07 metres (then an Asian record), gold at the Hangzhou 2022 Asian Para Games, gold at the Paris 2024 Paralympic Games with 2.08 metres, and bronze at the 2025 World Para Athletics Championships in New Delhi. His gold at Aichi-Nagoya 2026 makes him a multi-time Asian Para Games champion.
Who finished third in Men's High Jump T44 at the 2026 Asian Para Games?
Uzbekistan's Temurbek Giyazov finished third, claiming the bronze medal with a jump of 1.86 metres. Giyazov had previously held the Games Record of 1.95 metres set at Jakarta 2018, which Praveen Kumar surpassed during Wednesday's competition.
