Sumit Antil made history at the Paris 2024 Paralympics by becoming the first male Indian para-athlete to successfully defend his Paralympic title in the men’s javelin throw F64 category. Antil secured the gold medal with a record-breaking throw of 70.59m, setting a new Paralympic record at the Stade de France.
The 26-year-old para-athlete surpassed his previous record from Tokyo 2020, not once but thrice during the event. His initial throw of 69.11m broke the previous record, and he continued to improve, with his second attempt reaching the eventual winning distance of 70.59m. Sumit also holds the world record of 73.29m in the F64 class.
In the same event, fellow Indian para-athlete Sandeep Choudhary finished fourth in the F44 category with a best throw of 62.80m, while Sandip Sanjay Sargar placed seventh with a throw of 58.03m. The event featured athletes from both the F44 and F64 categories, which are designed for competitors with limb deficiencies.
Sumit Antil’s gold is India’s third at the ongoing Paralympic Games, adding to victories by badminton player Nitesh Kumar in the men’s SL3 class and Avani Lekhara in the 10m air rifle shooting SH1 category.
