Tokyo Paralympics 2020: Records tumble as Sumit Antil wins gold for India in javelin F64 event

Sumit Antil clinched India’s second Paralympics gold medal with a record-setting win in the men’s javelin throw F64 event. Antil’s world-record throw of 68.55 m bettered his own record efforts in previous throws.

The 23-year-old’s fifth throw, the 68.55 m effort, improved on his second throw of 68.08 m, which itself bettered his previous world-record first throw of 66.95 m.

The F64 category is earmarked for athletes with leg amputation and compete with prosthetics in a standing position. The Sonepat native from Haryana lost his left leg below the knee in a motorcycle accident in 2015.

Indian athletes have been on a blitzkrieg at the Tokyo Paralympics, having already achieved the country’s best-ever medals haul. Avani Lekhara created history, becoming the first Indian woman to win gold in the Paralympics with victory in the R-2 women’s 10m Air Rifle Standing SH1 event. The Jaipur native scored a world record equalling 249.6, a new Paralympics record.

Yogesh Kathuniya secured a silver medal in the discus throw event, with a distance of 44.38 m. Bhavinaben Patel also secured a silver medal after losing to Chinese table tennis star Ying Zhou in the singles table tennis class 4 final.

Javelin thrower Devendra Jhajharia, a two-time gold-medallist, clinched his third Paralympics medal — this time a silver in the F46 event. Jhajahria had won gold medals in 2004 and 2016, and pulled off his personal best of 64.35 m to secure second place. Sundar Singh Gurjar secured bronze in the same event with an effort of 64.01 m.

High jumper Nishad Kumar set an Asian record on his way to silver in the T47 class. The son of a farmer, Nishad cleared 2.06 m, the same as American athlete Dallas Wise. Wise was also awarded the silver medal for his efforts.