Best ever finish for Indian para athletes at World Championship

HEADLINED by Sumit Antil’s world record show, the Indian team returned home from the Paris World Para Athletics Championships with 10 medals, including three gold, and 17 quota places for the 2024 Paralympics in the French capital.

This was India’s best-ever show at a World Para Athletics Championships surpassing the mark at Dubai 2019 Worlds that had nine medals.

India had won five medals in 2017 World Para Athletics Championships in London.

Not just in terms of medals, new stars emerged at Paris who registered their personal best, won their first ever medals and joined the seasoned names among the top performers. There were women winners too, who won both medals and quotas, to leave a mark at the championships.

Antil, who competed in his first major competition since his record-breaking performance at 2020 Tokyo Paralympics, put up an incredible show to add a Worlds gold at the Charlety Stadium in Paris.

The 25-year-old from Sonepat went on to improve his own world record mark with a throw of 70.83m, finishing ahead of Australian Michal Burian (65.21) and Sri Lanka’s Dulan Kodithuwakku (64.06).

“Being a world champion with a new world record is something I am really proud of!!! Thank you everyone for your love and support!!! JAI HIND,” tweeted the Paralympic and world champion, who has a silver from the Dubai 2019 Worlds.

Antil’s show was followed up by his fellow thrower Ajeet Singh and Rinku Hooda taking the 1-2 positions in men’s javelin finals.

Singh impressed by hurling his javelin to 65.41m for a new championship record while Hooda was just 0.3m behind getting his season’s best. 2019 world champion Sundar Singh Gurjar settled for the fourth place, fetching India a quota place.

Maharashtra-based Sachin Khilari’s powerful throw of 16.21m in men’s shot put was enough to fetch him his first international medal, a world title with an Asian record.

Apart from the javelin throwers, the high jumpers too made a mark with Paralympic medallists Nishad Kumar, Shailesh Kumar and Praveen Kumar taking the silver and bronze medals.

Nishad, in fact, went on to set a new Asian record on his way to taking the silver with an effort of 2.09m.

Among others, seasoned Ekta Bhyan (17.9 3m) claimed a bronze medal with an Asian record in women’s club throw, while Pooja emerged as the new name in women’s javelin final with a personal best throw of 14.70m.

(PTI)