Sumit Antil has bagged a gold medal for India at the Tokyo Paralympics, he achieved this accolade in the men’s javelin F64 event.
With a best throw of 68.55, Antil not only broke the world record thrice in one night but also gave India its second gold medal of the Games. Earlier in the day, shooter Avani Lekhara also clinched the gold medal in shooting becoming the first Indian woman to win a gold at the Games.
Sumit Antil threw a massive 66.95m throw in his first attempt and set a world record. He broke his record with his second 68.08m attempt and then in his 5th attempt he subsequently broke the record for the third time with a massive throw of 68.55m and clinched the gold for India in the men’s javelin F64 event.
Earlier, Antil was an ace Indian wrestler and an avid sports fan with dreams of representing his country at the grandest stage. But in the year 2005, he met with a motorbike accident due to which he lost his left leg below the knee. He took up Para athletics in 2018 following encouragement from another Para-athlete in his village.
For the first time in India’s history, a gold medal has been won in the same event at the same edition of the Paralympics and Olympics. Javelin throw at the Olympics and the F64 javelin throw at the Paralympics have both seen Indians come out with flying colours to win gold.
While in the men’s javelin throw F46, India’s Devendra Jhajharia and Sundar Singh Gurjar bagged the silver medal and bronze medal respectively.
By adding another medal into the tally, India recorded their best-ever medal tally in the Games, four more than the Rio edition.