Tokyo Paralympics: Sumit Antil Wins Javelin Gold; Sets New World Record
Sumit Antil finished his event with a foul throw after throwing a record 68.85m in F64 Javelin at Tokyo Paralympics.
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India’s success in Javelin continued on Monday evening as Sumit Antil set a world record while clinching Gold in the Men’s F64 javelin event at the 2020 Tokyo Paralympics. With a best throw of 68.85 m in the final in Japan, he took India's medal count to 7, including two Gold medals, both won on Monday.
During the course of his event on Monday, Sumit set and broke his own world record thrice in men’s javelin throw F64 event.
Sumit started off with a throw of 66.95m to top the standings after round 1 and set a new world record. He then further strengthened his position at the top of the charts with a second throw of 68.08m, smashing the previous world record.
In the third and fourth throws, respectively, he threw 65.27m and 66.71.
After a small break in the big throws, Sumit, in his fifth attempt, threw the javelin 68.85m from the starting line. He capped off the historic grand finale with a foul throw.
His comptariot, Sandeep Chaudhary, finished fourth in the competition with a personal best of 62.20m.
While Australia's Michael Burian bagged silver, Sri Lanka's Dulan Kodithuwakku took home bronze.
The 23-year-old from Sonipat, who lost his left leg below the knee after he was involved in a motorbike accident in 2005, participated in able-bodied javelin throw till 2015 before taking a break.
On comeback in 2018, he started participating in para-sports and immediately made an impact, winning silver in the 2019 World Championships in Dubai.
Antil's gold in the second of the day for India, making it the most successful day in the Paralympic Games. Avani Lekhara won the gold medal in women's 10mair rifle SH1 while Devendra Jhajharia and Yogesh Kathuniya won silver medals in the javelin (F46) and discus throw (T56) final. Sundar Singh Gurjar claimed a bronze medal in javelin throw F46, finishing behind Jhajharia.
India's Sandeep Choudhary - an F44 category athlete -- finished fourth with a throw of 62.20m, his season's best effort just not good enough against athletes who were in great form. Sandeep has a best throw of 66.18 and he would have been in medals if he had managed to repeat that.
(With IANS Inputs)
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