Bengaluru: Two-time Paralympic gold medallist Sumit Antil added another glorious chapter in the history of para javelin throw competitions with a breathing throw to improve on his own World Record in the Men’s Javelin F64 category at the 8th Indian Open International Para Athletics Championships 2026 in Bengaluru on Wednesday.
Sumit Antil produced a gigantic throw of 74.82m to set a new World Record. With this effort, he surpassed the previous mark of 73.29m, which he had set at the 2022 Asian Para Games in Hangzhou.
Antil, who won the gold medals in the Tokyo 2020 Games and then retained his title at Paris in 2024, stole the spotlight on Day 2 of the competitions with a sensational gold medal-winning performance.
Representing Haryana, Sumit produced a best throw of 74.82m to comfortably secure the top spot and underline his dominance on the national para-athletics circuit. Maharashtra’s Sandip Sargar clinched silver with 62.88m, while Rajasthan’s Sandeep secured bronze with a throw of 61.83m.
The day also witnessed several standout performances across track and field events. In the Men’s High Jump T64, Paralympic medallist Praveen Kumar cleared 2.00m to win gold, while Varun Singh Bhati took silver after clearing 1.84m.
Tokyo Paralympic gold medallist Deepthi Jeevanji impressed in the Women’s 400m T20 event, clocking 57.84 seconds to finish first. In the Men’s 400m T47 category, Dilip Gavit of Maharashtra sprinted to gold in 47.64 seconds.
The Men’s Javelin Throw F46 competition saw Haryana’s Rinku emerge victorious with a best effort of 61.70m in a closely fought contest ahead of Uttar Pradesh athletes Ajeet Singh (60.72m) and Ravi Kumar (59.33m).
Another major attraction of the day was the Men’s High Jump T63/T42 event, where celebrated para athletes Mariyappan Thangavelu and Shailesh Kumar competed alongside international participants from Thailand and the Philippines, showcasing the growing competitive standard of the championship.
In field events, Haryana continued their strong showing with Haney winning the Men’s Javelin Throw F37/F38 title with a throw of 60.70m, while Pranav Soorma claimed gold in Men’s Club Throw F51 with 34.04m.
Among women athletes, Gujarat’s Nimisha Chakkungal leapt to gold in Women’s Long Jump T47 with an impressive 5.43m jump, while Bhavanaben Ajab Chaudhary won the Women’s Javelin Throw F46 title with 37.01m.
The championship, being held from May 26 to 28 in Bengaluru, has brought together leading para athletes from across India along with international competitors, serving as a crucial platform ahead of upcoming international competitions.
(IANS)
