Sumit Antil’s Record Throw to Win A Gold Medal at the Paralympics for a Second Time in a Row

In Paris on Monday, Sumit Antil maintained his Paralympic gold medal by tossing a record-breaking 70.59 meters. In his second attempt, Antil broke the record, which he also held, with a fantastic performance throughout the F64 men’s javelin final.

With his second throw, Antil broke the Paralympic record, having initially thrown 69.11 meters. After throwing the javelin 66.66 meters on his third try, he was flagged for a foul on his fourth try. Antil concluded the competition with strong throws in his fifth and sixth tries, of 69.04 and 66.57 meters, respectively. Nobody other was able to surpass the 70-meter mark.

Avani Lekhara was the first to successfully defend his Paralympic championship in Paris 2024, but Antil is the first and second Indian man to do it overall. After winning a yellow metal in the same event at the Tokyo Games, Avani went on to win gold in the women’s 10m air rifle standing SH1 event in Paris. Antil is the third Indian athlete to have won two gold medals at the Paralympic Games. In addition to Avani, current President of the Paralympic Committee of India, Devendra Jhajharia, won the gold medal in the F46 javelin throw at the 2004 Athens and 2016 Rio Olympics.

At 73.29 meters, Antil holds the event’s world record. Together with finishing on the podium at the Asian Para Games in Hangzhou, China, last year, he has also won gold at the World Para Athletics Championships in 2023 and 2024. He had pushed himself to break his own Paralympic record, but he was unable to fulfil his goal of passing the 75-meter barrier.

“My back pain is not yet completely healed, I was feeling it in the last two training sessions. Today also, I did my throws after having pain killers. I have been competing by managing it (my injury),” Antil explained following his gold medal victory.

“I suffered this injury in 2023 and I played Asian Para Games in China (where he had won gold) last year carrying this injury. I did not have enough time to recover from the injury. I need rest. We will sort this injury after returning to India.”