Triple Paralympic medallist high jumper Mariyappan Thangavelu will miss the ongoing 23rd National Para Athletics Championships for a blade integration to his right knee.
The Paris Paralympics bronze medallist will undergo the surgery in Bengaluru, in the coming weeks. He will be ready for the World Para Championships scheduled at home (New Delhi) from September 26 to October 5.
“I am confident the National para athletics championships will help athletes from Tamil Nadu, especially those from the villages. I am also confident that the blade will help me in my jump,” Mariyappan was quoted as saying by Sportstar.
His coach Sathyanarayana said that the blade integration will move him from T42 to T64 (blade inserted below the knee) category. He also added that adding blade is shift in strategy, more likely to fetch him gold at the World Championships in New Delhi.
“I have been telling him to put a blade since 2017, but only now he became convinced. At the moment, there are only two high jumpers who have blade, both are from USA,” said Sathyanarayana, who is the head coach of the Indian National para teams.
“Mariyappan has explosive power in his leg, and with a blade, he can do more, and with the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics coming up, he will be 30+ years of age. So I think this will be a good move.”
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