Paralympics Javelin Thrower, Sumit Antil Breaks World Record
Reigning Paralympics champion Sumit Antil on Wednesday bettered his own javelin throw F64 world record with a stunning 73.29m effort on the way to winning gold as he led India’s whopping 30-medal haul on the third day of competitions at the Hangzhou Asian Para Games.
The F64 category belongs to athletes with a leg amputation who participate in standing position events using prosthetics.
India’s total medal count after three days stood at 64 (15 gold, 20 silver, 29 bronze) and they were placed at sixth spot, one down from Tuesday.
China continued to consolidate at the top of the tally with 300 medals (118 gold, 96 silver, 86 bronze), followed by Iran (24, 30, 19), Japan (20, 21, 28), Thailand (20, 13, 30), and Uzbekistan (17, 17, 21).
It was the most productive day for India, with 17 out of the 30 medals and all the six gold coming from athletics.
The 25-year-old Antil broke his own previous world record of 70.83m, which he had thrown while winning gold at the World Para Athletics Championships in Paris earlier this year. Sumit Antil’s astonishing 73.29m throw not only secured the gold medal for him but also showcased his exceptional talent and determination.
| Year | Award | Significance |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | Khel Ratna Award | India’s highest sporting honor |
| 2022 | Padma Shri Award | Fourth-highest civilian award in India |
Ankur Dhama made history by becoming the first Indian to claim two gold medals in a single edition of the Asian Para Games. He triumphed in the men’s T11 1500m race, clocking a time of 4:27.70. Earlier in the week, he had also clinched a gold medal in the men’s T11 5000m race.
In another outstanding performance, Sundar Singh Gurjar, another Indian athlete, not only won the gold medal in the men’s F46 javelin throw but also set a new world record with a remarkable throw of 68.60 meters. The previous world record of 67.79 meters was held by Dinesh Mudiyanselage Herath of Sri Lanka.
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