High jumper Shailesh Kumar opened India's gold medal account at the World Para Athletics Championships with a shock win while the unheralded Thekra Alkaabi of United Arab Emirates (UAE) shattered the world record in the relatively new women's 100m frame running event here on Saturday.

Shailesh Kumar’s Historic Gold

The 25-year-old Shailesh, the 2023 Asian Para Games champion, cleared 1.91m to shatter the championships record and win the men's high jump T63 event on the opening day of the showpiece which saw two world records being broken.

He beat T63 world record holder and reigning Olympic champion Ezra Frech of the USA, who took the silver with 1.85m.

Born to a farming family at Islamnagar village in Jamui district of Bihar, Shailesh's right foot was infected with polio when he was a

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