Troubled by injury, Praveen settles for high jump bronze at World Para Athletics
New Delhi (PTI): There was a tinge of sadness in Praveen Kumar's walk following his bronze in high jump, while Ekta Bhyan looked at the positive side after failing to retain her title and settling for silver in the club throw event on the penultimate day of World Para Athletics Championships here on Saturday.
India added a silver and two bronze, to take their tally to 18 (6-6-6), their best performance at the Worlds with a day to go. Their previous best was in Kobe 2024 (Japan), where they won 17 medals (6-5-6). Brazil continued to top the charts with 37 medals (12-19-6).
India's third medal on the day came in men's shot put F57 category with 42-year-old army man Soman Rana bagging the bronze with a season's best of 14.69m. The Hangzhou Asian Games silver medallist's best throw came in the fourth attempt.
However, Rana's bronze could get upgraded to silver on Sunday as an appeal has been lodged against Brazil's Thiago Paulino Dos Santos, who finished ahead of the Indian.
Late on Saturday evening, the World Para Athletics Championships website started showing Rana's bronze had been upgraded but one of the organisers said the final hearing will "take place on Sunday and only after that a decision on the upgrade will be taken."
Paris Paralympic gold medallist Praveen Kumar had to settle for bronze in the men's T64 high jump at the Asian Para Games after clearing a season's best 2.00 metres.
Uzbekistan's 2018 champion Temurbek Giyazov won gold with a personal best of 2.03m, while Great Britain's Jonathan Broom-Edwards took silver on countback, having cleared 2.00m on his first attempt.
Praveen, who cleared the same height on his second attempt, finished third despite matching the Briton's mark.
On a day when India failed to secure a gold, Praveen appeared in discomfort, shortening his run-up and grimacing after each attempt.
He cleared 1.97m comfortably but stumbled at 2.00m on his first try before making it on the second.
With the bar raised to 2.03m, the Indian faltered in all three attempts, ending his campaign with a best of 2.00m.
"I have been nursing a hip injury for the last 10-12 days, which is why I shortened my run-up," said the 22-year-old.
"I am not at all happy with my performance. I was attempting 2.07m in training and I suffered a stretch injury in my hip. Every time I was attempting a takeoff, I was having discomfort. Even as I stand here I am having pain in the affected leg," said the T64 athlete, who has a unilateral below-knee limb deficiency.
The other Indian in the fray, the 22-year-old Banti finished sixth with a personal-best jump o1 1.87m.
"He is shaping up well. If he takes care of his body I'm sure he will cross 2.00m and be in contention for the 2026 Asian Para Games in Japan," added Praveen.
Praveen added that his injury should heal in 1-2 months as he set sight on defending the Asian Para Games gold.
"I am disappointed because the World Para Athletics are taking place in India for the first time and I could not give my personal best (of 2.08m). I had been consistently doing 2.05m in training before injury and had a target of 2.10m, but things changed after the injury," added Praveen.
Bhyan settles for silver in F51 club throw
Ekta Bhyan saw the positive side of it after failing to defend her 2024 Worlds club thrower F51 gold here with her season's best of 19.80m in the sixth and final attempt.
Ukraine's Zoia Ovsii came up with a massive heave of 24.03m in her fifth attempt to take the gold, while Neutral Para Athlete Ekaterina Potapova (18.60m) bagged the bronze.
The 40-year-old Indian, who has a personal best of 21.66, was outdone by an athlete who has been the undisputed leader for several years, winning three World Championships gold and the top-podium finish at the Tokyo Paralympics.
"I am super happy, This is my third Worlds medal and I am glad that I could repeat my performance. Now looking forward to the 2028 LA Paralympics," said the wheelchair-bound Ekta.
She competes in the F51 category for athletes with severe impairments of muscle power and range of movement in their limbs and trunk, with no trunk or leg function, but with full function in their shoulders, arms, and hands.
"The performance here was okay. The humidity was really bad and it's very difficult to regulate the body temperature in this weather," said the 40-year-old gold medallist at the 1018 Jakarta Asian Para Games.
"The target was to win gold. I worked a lot on my skill and strength in the last one year. It's a sigh of relief. It comes after the (F51) event was not included in the Paris Paralympics," said the Hissar para athlete.
Soman Rana takes bronze
Army man Soman Rana, who lost his right leg in a mine blast in 2006, won the biggest medal of his international career, securing bronze in men's shot put F57 category with a throw of 14.69m, while the other two Indians Hokato Hotozhe Sema (14.35m) and Shubham Juyal (13.72m) finished sixth and seventh respectively in the event, which has individuals with significant leg length differences or limb deficiencies.
Yasin Khosravi, 33, maintained his dominance in the event with a hat-trick of World Para Athletics Championships titles with a world record throw of 16.60m. All of Khosravi's throws were above 15m, while his sixth and last throw simply left the spectators awestruck.
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KMES Institutions shine in SSLC result, continue four-decade legacy of education in rural Karkala
Karkala: KMES Institutions of Education at Kukkundooru in Karkala taluk has recorded outstanding results in the 2025-26 SSLC and PUC examinations, continuing a four-decade educational journey that began with just 22 kindergarten students and no building of its own.
The institution secured a 100 per cent result in the SSLC examinations, with all 43 students passing the examination this year.
Muhammad Arman Shahid emerged as the school topper by scoring 619 marks out of 625, securing 99 per cent and also ranking sixth at the state level. He scored full marks in Kannada, Hindi, Mathematics and Social Science.
Krithika V. Nayak secured the second position in the school with 607 marks and 97.12 per cent, while Arhan stood third with 605 marks and 96.8 per cent.
Out of the 43 students, 21 passed with distinction, 19 secured first class, two students obtained second class and one student passed in third class. Fourteen students scored above 90 per cent.
The institution also performed strongly in the PUC examinations. The Science stream recorded a 100 per cent result, with all 44 students passing, while Commerce secured a 98 per cent pass percentage.
Twelve students scored full marks in different subjects, including Mathematics.
In Commerce, Deeksha Acharya topped the college with 588 marks, while Harshitha H. Kini secured the second position with 581 marks.
In Science, Naveen B. Nayak emerged as topper with 586 marks, followed closely by Sameeksha Moily and Aifa Nidha, who both secured 585 marks.
Speaking about the achievement, High School head teacher Shrimati Patkar said the institution has always focused on supporting academically weak students through affordable education and free special classes.
“Our ambition is to provide quality education even to students who struggle in studies. The fees are very low, and free coaching classes are conducted. I have worked here for 28 years and have always found the atmosphere supportive of education,” she said.
Primary School head teacher Lolita Zeena D’Silva appreciated the dedication of the teaching staff and said the school encourages students not only to achieve high marks but also to become role models.
PU College Principal Balakrishna Rao said the institution focuses on value-based education and overall personality development.
“The aim is to help students succeed not only academically but also in cultural activities, sports and leadership. We encourage qualities such as patience, tolerance and discipline,” he said.
Rao also credited the institution’s growth to the support of founders K.S. Mohammed Masood and K.S. Nissar Ahmed, along with President K.S. Imtiaz Ahmed.
Speaking on the occasion, Imtiaz Ahmed said the institution was built on the dream of making quality education accessible to financially backward families in rural areas.
He said the guidance and encouragement of his elder brothers, Mohammed Masood and Nissar Ahmed, along with the contribution of teachers, students and parents, helped transform the institution into a model educational centre.
The KMES Institutions trace their roots back to 1984, when they were founded by senior social activists Haji P.M. Khan, K.S. Nazeer Ahmed and Haji A.S. Rashid Haider.
The institution initially functioned from the Government Urdu School premises as it did not have a building of its own. Classes began with only 22 students in lower kindergarten and two teachers.
Later, under the leadership of K.S. Mohammed Masood and with continuous financial and moral support from non-resident businessman K.S. Nissar Ahmed, the institution gradually expanded.
In 1993, the school shifted to its own building and began conducting classes from LKG to Class 5.
As student admissions increased, Nissar Ahmed personally funded the construction of three additional classrooms to address infrastructure shortages.
The institution’s new school building was completed in 1997, while the PU College building was constructed in 2001.
From humble beginnings in a borrowed building to producing state-level rank holders and consistent academic results, the KMES Institutions have grown into one of the prominent educational centres in the Karkala region.
