Praveen Kumar Exclusive: 'Mental well-being of athletes is debated but no solution,' Rues Two-times Paralympic Games Medalist

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The mental well-being of sportspersons has been a topic of significant debate, especially before major competitions like the Olympic Games. However, no concrete solutions have been proposed to address this critical issue.

India's two-time medalist in the men's T64 high jump category at the Paralympic Games, Praveen Kumar, highlighted the importance of mental well-being as he shared his struggles in the months leading up to the 2024 Paris Paralympic Games.

"Six weeks before the 2024 Paris Paralympic Games, I was undergoing mental depression. I was on the verge of quitting as nothing was going right for me," the 24-year-old Paralympian revealed. "A foot injury in the takeoff leg was hampering training. The medical experts advised me to take rest to heal the injury."

Encouraged by fellow para-athlete Ankur Dhama and his coach, Satyapal Singh, a Dronacharya awardee, the para-athlete from a village near Noida in Uttar Pradesh found a new perspective. Instead of giving up, he went on to win the gold medal, his second at the Paralympic Games.

He had previously won a silver medal at the 2020 Tokyo Paralympic Games, held in Japan in 2021. "Extensive rehab and moderate training were the mantra in the last six weeks before the big event of my life," Praveen said at a felicitation function in Delhi last weekend.

He also credited his coach's tips before the competition for boosting his confidence. "My coach told me that the bar shouldn't fall till I scale 2.10m height in the competition," he said. "Those words made the difference, and I overcame a difficult patch to emerge victorious." Praveen clinched the gold medal with a jump of 2.08m.

Reflecting on his performance, he added, "After the first attempt, my confidence grew, and I moved forward one step at a time to win gold. At the end, I got emotional. I never thought I would be able to compete and win gold. But I learned a lesson: never give up, whatever the circumstances are. Try hard till the last minute!"

The Paralympian stressed the importance of supporting athletes' mental well-being when they face setbacks. "I think I was lucky to have good people around me, and I was able to showcase my potential in back-to-back Paralympic Games," he said.

Praveen also spoke about the uncertainty surrounding his participation in Paris. "I had a 50-50 chance to go to the Paris Paralympic Games. Medical experts said don't train. Take a rest. It was a tense atmosphere for me, and it was impacting my mental health," he shared.

The athlete expressed gratitude to his supporters and credited competing against able-bodied athletes at the national level for boosting his confidence. "It gave me more confidence that I'm able to compete with able athletes and finish in the top four or five," he said.

Recalling his Tokyo Paralympic journey, he revealed, "Before the 2020 Tokyo Olympic Games, I sustained an ankle injury. It was a challenging task to cope with the niggle. It was a nervous start in Tokyo but managed to win silver." Looking ahead, Praveen's next target is the 2025 World Championships, likely to be held in India. "I'm taking a short break and will start my training soon," he concluded.