Salem’s pride T Mariyappan wins Gold at World Para Athletics meet in Kobe

Kobe, Japan – Salem’s pride T Mariyappan,  representing India secured a gold medal in the men’s high jump D63 category with a jump of 1.88 meters on the fifth day of the 11th  World Para Athletics Championship for the Disabled. 
This prestigious event, hosted in Kobe, Japan, has drawn over a thousand athletes from 100 countries. Mariyappan, known as the 'Golden Son' of Periyavadagambatti in Salem district, added this victory to his impressive list of achievements. 
American competitors Ezra Brich and Sam Grave earned silver and bronze with jumps of 1.85 meters and 1.82 meters, respectively.
Mariyappan's journey is one of remarkable resilience. As a child, he was left paralyzed below the knee after a bus accident crushed his right leg. 
Undeterred by this life-altering incident, he pursued sports with determination, supported by his mother Saroja, who ran a road side vegetable selling to sustain their family. 
Mariyappan first garnered international attention with a gold medal at the Rio Paralympics in 2016, followed by a silver at the 2020 Tokyo Paralympics.
His latest triumph in Kobe further solidifies his status as a top para-athlete on the world stage.