Asian Para Games 2026: Nishad Kumar Wins Long Jump Gold with 7.11m on Event Debut

Nishad Kumar added another landmark achievement to India’s campaign at the Asian Para Games 2026, winning gold in the men’s long jump T47 event with a best effort of 7.11m in Nagoya, Japan. 

The specialist high jumper made an impressive transition to a new discipline, securing his first international medal in the long jump and delivering India’s first athletics medal of this edition. Nishad’s victory was India’s second gold medal at the Games and the first gold for the country in the athletics track and field programme. His winning jump of 7.11m proved decisive in a competitive final, with Uzbekistan’s Omadbek Khasanov finishing second at 6.99m and Sri Lanka’s Mohammadu Safran taking bronze with 6.55m.

The result underlined Nishad’s versatility as an athlete. Better known for his achievements in the high jump, he stepped into the long jump arena at the Asian Para Games and immediately emerged as the champion in the men’s T47 category.

Nishad’s performance was marked by a steady improvement through his opening three attempts. He began with a jump of 6.95m before moving up to 7.09m on his second attempt. He then produced his best effort of 7.11m, a distance that ultimately secured the gold medal.

That progression demonstrated his ability to build momentum during the competition rather than relying on a single early performance. After improving by 14 centimetres from his first to his second attempt, Nishad added another two centimetres to establish the winning mark.

His gold-medal distance was recorded with a wind reading of -0.1m/s, meaning the jump was achieved in a slight headwind. The conditions did not prevent him from producing the best performance of the final.

Uzbekistan’s Omadbek Khasanov, competing in the T46 classification, came closest to Nishad with a distance of 6.99m, also recorded with a wind reading of -0.1m/s. The Indian finished 12 centimetres ahead of the Uzbek athlete to claim the title.

Sri Lanka’s Mohammadu Safran completed the podium with a jump of 6.55m, recorded with a wind reading of 0.7m/s.

The significance of Nishad’s victory extended beyond the gold medal. The Indian athlete is primarily known as a high jumper in the men’s T47 classification, but his appearance in the long jump demonstrated his capacity to compete successfully in another field event.

Winning gold on his Asian Para Games long jump debut made the achievement particularly notable. Rather than simply adding another event to his competition programme, Nishad finished at the top of the podium and earned his first international medal in the discipline.

The long jump requires a combination of speed, take-off precision, balance and the ability to convert a run-up into distance. Nishad’s progression from 6.95m to 7.09m and then 7.11m showed that he was able to improve as the final unfolded.

His performance also offered India an early success in athletics, a sport expected to be an important part of the country’s medal campaign at the Games. With the track and field programme underway, Nishad ensured that India’s first athletics medal at this edition was a gold.

India’s Second Gold of the Asian Para Games

Nishad’s victory came as India continued its medal campaign in Aichi-Nagoya. The result brought the country its second gold medal of the 2026 Asian Para Games, following the earlier success in the women’s 10m air rifle standing SH1 event, where Mona Agarwal won gold and Avani Lekhara secured silver.

The gold in the men’s T47 long jump also gave India an encouraging start to its athletics campaign. Nishad became the first Indian athlete to win a medal in the track and field programme at this edition, setting a strong benchmark for the contingent.

For Nishad, the result represents a significant addition to his sporting record. His reputation as a high jumper remains central to his career, but this performance showed that he can also deliver at the international level in the long jump.

The final standings reflected the quality of his winning effort: Nishad’s 7.11m was enough to finish ahead of Khasanov’s 6.99m and Safran’s 6.55m. The 12-centimetre margin over the silver medallist confirmed a clear victory, while his improvement across his first three attempts highlighted the consistency of his performance.

As India’s campaign in Nagoya continues, Nishad Kumar’s long jump gold provides an early boost for the athletics team. His event debut ended with a continental title, a first international medal in the discipline and India’s first athletics podium finish of the Asian Para Games 2026.

For a specialist high jumper stepping into a new event, it was an outstanding result—and another reason for India to celebrate its growing success in para sport.