With a thrilling performance in Paris on September 2, Monday, record-breaker Sumit Antil won back-to-back gold medals at the Paralympics.
On Monday, Para javelin thrower Sumit Antil made history by successfully defending his gold medal at the Paralympic Games in Paris. With a 69.04-meter throw on his first try, he broke his own Games record in the F64 category, which he had achieved in Tokyo 2020. But his subsequent throw, which landed 70.59 meters distant, set a new Paralympic record and solidified his place atop the standings. Antil’s fifth effort resulted in a third-best throw of 69.04 meters.
After shooter Avani Lekhara, Antil is the second Indian overall to successfully defend the Paralympic title.
The current global champion Antil is the second Indian competitor to win the Paralympic championship overall, behind shooter Avani Lekhara. After taking first place in the women’s 10m air rifle standing SH1 event in the Tokyo Games, Avani went on to capture gold in Paris.
He also became a member of the elite group of three Indians who have won two gold medals in the Paralympic Games. Along with Antil and Avani, the third member of the group is Devendra Jhajharia, the President of the Paralympic Committee of India at the moment, who won gold in the javelin throw F46 in the 2004 Athens Games and the 2016 Rio Olympics.
Antil placed first on the podium at the Asian Para Games in Hangzhou, China, last year. In addition, he won gold in the World Para Athletics Championships in 2023 and 2024.The former wrestler who now throws javelins won India’s first para-athletic gold medal and third overall at the Paris Paralympics. This was India’s seventh para-athletic medal.
Antil’s 70.59-meter second-round throw obliterated the field. He made two more impressive throws, one of which was 69.11 meters in his first attempt and 69.04 meters in his fifth, both of which beat his previous Paralympic record.However, Antil was unable to go above the 75-meter mark, which he had set for himself prior to the Paris Games.
With a throw of 64.89 meters, Australian Michal Burian won the bronze, while Sri Lanka’s Dulan Kodithuwakku claimed second place with 67.03 meters.
With throws of 62.80 meters and 58.03 meters, respectively, Sandeep and Sandip Sanjay Sargar, two additional Indian competitors, placed fourth and seventh.
Athletes in the F64 category have lower limb issues, are competing with prostheses, or are impacted by a leg length difference.On March 5, 2021 at Patiala, he even faced up against Tokyo Olympics winner Neeraj Chopra in the able-bodied Indian Grand Prix series 3. With a best throw of 66.43 meters, he had placed eighth, while Chopra had broken his own national mark with a huge effort of 88.07 meters.
