After surgery, Mariyappan Thangavelu to change category

CHENNAI: In a move to scale greater heights, three-time Paralympic medallist Mariyappan Thangavelu will undergo surgery to have a new blade fitted below his knee on the right leg. With the change, the high jumper will transition from the T42 category to the T64 class.

“I have been doing well in my current category, but the new blade will help me jump better. My coach, Satyanarayana sir, has been encouraging me to take this step for a long time (since 2017). After seeing its benefits, we have decided to go ahead with the surgery. I decided not to compete in the ongoing Nationals due to the surgery,” Mariyappan said, on the sidelines of the National Para Athletics Championships here on Tuesday.

With the surgery not far away, the 29-year-old Mariyappan will miss the World Para Athletics Grand Prix competition in New Delhi next month, but he is setting his sights on the World Para Athletics Championships in the same city in September and October, when he hopes to make a strong comeback.

Satyanarayana, who was the head coach of the Indian athletics contingent at the Paris Paralympics, insisted Mariyappan get surgery done. The duo share a good relationship and Mariyappan decided to act on his coach’s suggestion.

“Mariyappan has already won gold, silver and bronze in the Paralympics. Now, I am thinking about changing the strategy to see if we can secure another gold medal in Los Angeles in 2028. I consulted with his foreign coach from the USA and have personally done thorough research. Mariyappan already has excellent explosive power without the blade, and with the blade, it will give him an added advantage. He will need to jump over 2m to medal in LA,” Satyanarayana said.

Although Mariyappan was uninterested in it at the start, Satyanarayana waited for him to gain confidence and see the advantages of inserting the blade. “The surgery will likely be held in Bengaluru under the guidance of a German doctor,” the coach added.