Tokyo: Javelin thrower Sumit Antil clinched India’s second gold at the ongoing Paralympics, shattering the men’s F64 category world record multiple times in a stunning Games debut performance here on Monday.
The 23-year-old from Sonepat in Haryana, who lost his left leg below the knee after he was involved in a motorbike accident in 2015, sent the spear to 68.55m in his fifth attempt, which was the best of the day by quite a distance and a new world record.
In fact, Sumit Antil bettered the previous world record of 62.88m, also set by him, five times on the day. His last throw was a foul. His series read 66.95, 68.08, 65.27, 66.71, 68.55 and foul.
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Australian Michal Burian (66.29m) and Sri Lanka’s Dulan Kodithuwakku (65.61m) took the silver and bronze respectively.
The F64 category is for athletes with a leg amputation, who compete with prosthetics in a standing position.
A student of Delhi’s Ramjas College, Sumit Antil was an able-bodied wrestler before his accident which led to the amputation of his leg below the knee. A para athlete in his village initiated him to the sport in 2018.
He also competed against Olympic champion Neeraj Chopra in the able-bodied Indian Grand Prix series 3 on March 5 in Patiala.
Sumit Antil finished seventh with a best throw of 66.43m while Chopra shattered his own national record with a big effort of 88.07m.
He won a silver in the F64 javelin throw at the 2019 World Championships in Dubai.
Shooter Avani Lekhara had claimed the women’s 10m Air Rifle Standing SH1 event gold in the morning.