Sumit Antil wins gold in javelin throw F64, becomes first Indian man to defend title in Paralympics

Mangalore Today News Network

Paris, September 3, 2024: Para javelin thrower Sumit Antil scripted history on Monday as he defended his Paralympics gold medal in Paris. He smashed the Games record in the F64 category, set by him in Tokyo 2020, with a 69.04m throw on his first attempt. However, his next throw landed 70.59 meters away setting a fresh Paralympics record that consolidated his position on the top of the table. Antil’s third-best throw clocked 69.04 meters which came on his 5th attempt.

Antil is the second Indian overall after shooter Avani Lekhara to defend the Paralympics title.

Meanwhile, the other two Indians in the event – Sandeep (F44) and Sandip Sargar (F44) – finished fourth and seventh with best throws of 62.80m and 58.03m, respectively.

Sri Lanka’s Dulan Kodithuwakku, World Record holder in the F44 category, made a second-place finish with a 67.03m throw. Michal Burain of Australia won the bronze medal with a season-best throw of 64.89 meters.

Reigning world champion Antil is the second Indian overall after shooter Avani Lekhara to defend the Paralympics title. Avani had won gold in women’s 10m air rifle standing SH1 event in Paris after winning a yellow metal in the same event in Tokyo Games.

He also joined an exclusive three-member club of Indians who have won two Paralympics gold. Besides Antil and Avani, the third member of the group is current Paralympic Committee of India President Devendra Jhajharia who won javelin throw F46 gold in 2004 Athens and 2016 Rio Games.

Antil has also won gold in the World Para Athletics Championships in 2023 and 2024, besides standing on top of podium in last year’s Asian Para Games in Hangzhou, China.

The wrestler-turned-javelin thrower clinched India’s third gold of the Paris Paralympics and first in para-athletics. It was India’s fifth medal from para-athletics here.

Antil destroyed the field with his second round throw of 70.59m. He had two other big throws of 69.11m in his opening attempt and 69.04m in his fifth effort, both bettering his earlier Paralympic record.

Antil, though, could not breach the 75m mark, the target he had set before going to the Paris Games.

Dulan Kodithuwakku of Sri Lanka took the silver with 67.03m while Michal Burian of Australia won the bronze with a throw of 64.89m.

Two other Indians in the fray, Sandeep and Sandip Sanjay Sargar, finished fourth and seventh with throws of 62.80m and 58.03m respectively.

F64 category is for athletes with problems in the lower limb(s), those competing with prosthesis or affected by leg length difference.

Antil lost his left leg below the knee after he was involved in a motorbike accident in 2015. A student of Delhi’s Ramjas College, Antil was an able-bodied wrestler before his accident which led to amputation of his leg below the knee.

A para athlete in his village initiated him to the sport in 2018.

He even competed against Tokyo Olympics champion Neeraj Chopra in the able-bodied Indian Grand Prix series 3 on March 5, 2021 in Patiala. He had finished seventh with a best throw of 66.43m while Chopra shattered his then national record with a big effort of 88.07m.