New Delhi: Three-time Paralympics gold medallist and reigning world champion long jumper Vanessa Low of Australia will be among the star attractions at the World Para Athletics Grand Prix which begins here on Tuesday.
The 34-year-old Low won gold in the long jump T63 event at the 2021 Tokyo and 2024 Paris Paralympics, after winning the yellow metal in the 2016 Rio Games. She also won gold in T63 event in the 2019 and 2024 World Para Athletics Championships. She is also the current world record holder in the T61 class with a 5.45m jump recorded at the 2024 Paris Paralympics.
Low will be among 250 athletes taking part in the three-day event to be held at the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium.
India is fielding 150 participants and among them will be 2024 Paris Paralympics gold medallists Praveen Kumar (high jump, T64), Navdeep (javelin, F41) and Dharambir (club throw, F51).
They will be joined by some of India’s finest para-athletes, including Ravi Rangoli, who clinched gold at the recently concluded National Para Athletics Championships and finished fifth at the Paris Paralympics.
India will enter the competition with strong momentum, having secured 14 medals (5 gold, 6 silver, and 3 bronze) at the recently concluded Dubai Grand Prix. “Competing in front of the home crowd at such a prestigious event is truly special. The Grand Prix in New Delhi is a huge step for para-athletics in India, and I’m eager to put on a great performance for our supporters,” Praveen said.
“This is a historic moment for para-athletics in India. Having a Grand Prix in our own country is a dream come true, and it gives us the perfect platform to prepare for future global events,” said Dharambir.
Low represented Germany in London 2012 and Rio 2016, before switching allegiance to Australia in 2019. Her storied career includes eight World Championships medals and multiple landmark performances on the global stage. “I had my first classification and first competitions with the German team in India and it is one of the fondest memories I have. I am excited to be back. It’s the second time competing and I’m very excited,” she said.