INDIA saw their second gold coming at the ongoing Paralympic Games in Tokyo on Monday (19) when Sumit Antil clinched the top medal in javelin throw, smashing the men’s F64 category world record several times on his debut.
The 23-year-old from Sonepat in the northern Indian state of Haryana, who lost his left leg below the knee in a motorcycle accident in 2015, sent the spear flying to 68.55 metres in his fifth attempt – the best of the day by quite a distance and also good enough to set a new world record.
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Antil, in fact, bettered the previous world record of 62.88 metres, also set by him, five times during the day. His final throw was a foul. Antil’s series read 66.95 metres, 68.08 metres, 65.27 metres, 66.71 metres, 68.55 metres and foul.
Jhajharia wins silver, Gurjar bronze
Australia’s Michael Burin (66.29 metres) and Sri Lanka’s Dulan Kodithuwakku (65.61 metres) won the silver and bronze medals, respectively.
The F64 category is for athletes who have a leg amputation and compete with prosthetics in a standing position.
Antil was an able-bodied wrestler before his accident. A para-athlete in his village initiated him to the sport in 2018.
He had also competed against Neeraj Chopra, who is also from Haryana and won a gold for India in javelin throw at the Summer Olympics in Tokyo earlier this month, in the Indian Grand Prix series 3 in March in Patiala in the Indian state of Punjab.
Antil has won a silver in the F64 javelin throw at the 2019 World Championships in Dubai, the United Arab Emirates.
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