Paralympian Sumit Antil defends F64 Javelin World Title
Sumit Antil, the reigning Paralympics champion, defended his F64 javelin throw world championship on Tuesday, while Thangavelu Mariyappan and Ekta Bhyan also won gold medals in their respective categories, propelling India to third place at the World Para Athletics Championships in Kobe, Japan.
With five medals earned on a productive fifth day, India’s total increased to ten (4 gold, 4 silver, 2 bronze), and the country is now trailing China (15 gold, 13 silver, 13 bronze) and Brazil (14 gold, 6 silver, 5 bronze).
Antil, who had won gold medals at the Tokyo Paralympics and the 2023 World Para Athletics Championships, sent his spear 69.50 metres to the top of the podium.
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The 25-year-old Haryana athlete thus maintained his global lead in the F64 javelin event. He also holds the current world record, having thrown 73.29m to earn gold at the Para Asian Games in Hangzhou, China, last year.
The 2021 Champions of Change, Haryana, awardee and reigning Paralympics champion Sumit Antil defends his F64 javelin-throw world title and wins Gold Medal in the World Para Athletics Championships 2024 in Kobe, Japan.@sumit_javelin#SumitAntil… pic.twitter.com/YhgTUEAjo1
— POWER CORRIDORS (@power_corridors) May 21, 2024
He also holds the World Para Athletics Championships record of 70.83m, which he set while winning gold at the last competition in Paris in 2023.
Sandeep, a compatriot, won the bronze medal in the same event, throwing 60.41m. Sri Lanka’s Dulan Kodithuwakku won silver with a throw of 66.49m.
Antil led the nine-man field throughout the event, starting with a 68.17m effort and finishing with his day’s best jump of 69.50m on the second try. His subsequent four efforts measured 64.04m, 65.58m, 69.03m, and 68.08m.
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The inspiring journey of Sumit Antil
Antil from Sonipat wanted to be a wrestler, but in 2015, when he was 17, his motorcycle was hit by a speeding truck on his way home from a tuition lesson.
As a result, his left leg was amputated and he had to abandon his dream of becoming a wrestler. His father, employed in Indian Air Force, died when he was seven.
Mariyappan, who won silver in the Tokyo Paralympics, also won gold in T63 high jump, setting a championship record of 1.88m. This was his first gold medal in a big event in eight years.
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Mariyappan, 28, won gold in the T42 high jump at the 2016 Rio Paralympics and silver in the T63 category at the 2021 Tokyo edition. He also won silver in the T63 category in the Hangzhou Para Asian Games last year.
