In the crucible of international competition at the New Delhi World Para Athletics Championships 2025, American Paralympic champion Ezra Frech experienced the stark duality of elite sport. The 20-year-old athlete secured a silver medal in the men’s high jump T63 with a season-best leap of 1.85 meters, a formidable performance that was nonetheless met with a measure of personal heartbreak as India’s Shailesh Kumar did one better to clinch gold with a championship record of 1.91m.

Frech’s week was a testament to consistency and resilience, as he also powered through to achieve fifth-place finishes in both the long jump, with a mark of 6.98m, and the 100-meter sprint. Reflecting on the high jump result, Frech shared an emotional message, stating it was “a heartbreaking night” where “small mistakes cost me big,” but he channeled that sting into motivation, vowing that his “redemption is inevitable.”

It was in the context of these mixed results that the profound wisdom of a lesson learned in childhood came sharply into focus. In an exclusive conversation with EssentiallySports, at the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium in New Delhi, Frech delved into the personal mantra that guides him through both triumph and adversity: his mother’s advice to “always have your chin up, your chest out, and walk into any room that, that, you know, like you own it.” For Frech, this quote is far more than a simple platitude; it is a foundational pillar of his identity and a strategic tool for navigating the world.

“So, that quote means a lot to me,” he stated. “But especially in times of failure, especially when things aren’t going well, like today, you know, getting fifth place in the 100 meter, that’s the most important time to keep your chin up, your, you know, your chest back, and remember the confidence that my mom instilled in me. So, I always take my mom’s words with me, but especially now, in moments of defeat.”

His mother, Bahar Soomekh, a former actress turned real estate agent originally from Iran, provided him with a powerful strategy to reclaim his space and his confidence. The instruction to walk with unshakable poise was a deliberate act of self-preservation and empowerment, a way to transform insecurity into unassailable self-belief. However, this ingrained mindset of his becomes most critical not during victories, but in moments of defeat.

Ezra Frech’s confidence remains undefeated

In a recent conversation at the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium with EssentiallySports, Ezra Frech shared his thoughts on the challenges and the mindset needed to compete at the top level in various events. He had a difficult time in the men’s long jump T63 final, ending up in fifth place, just off the podium.

When asked about his feelings after the event, Frech said, “Yeah, I’m honestly not that, I’m not that upset about it. I, you know, that’s probably, that’s the second farthest I’ve ever jumped. You know, we took a lot of risks in the last few weeks, we changed a lot of stuff. This is my first time ever jumping on this blade. I had never taken jumps on it before, but we said, you know what, we took the risk, you know, we put it on.”

He also shared his optimistic perspective, keeping LA 2028 at the forefront of his goals: “Like, you take risks, and sometimes it works out, sometimes it doesn’t, but in my head, everything is building to LA. And so I’m moving in the right direction, you know, like I wish I was on the podium, of course, but you know, these guys jumped far. I felt like I had it; it was right there. It was just like, you know, some days it’s not your day, but it’s all right.”

Frech recognized the tough competition but expressed his readiness to step up when it counts. He mentioned, “I haven’t been running well all year, but I feel confident in my ability to put something down. Listen, when the lights are brightest, that’s when I do my best.” The mindset of a para athlete is pretty straightforward. To keep adapting to whatever life throws his way and to never give up. And this is what makes things even more exciting as he stays focused on his goals for the 2028 LA Paralympics.