On Monday, Sumit Antil of India secured the top podium in Paris by successfully defending his Paralympic javelin gold medal and setting a new Games record. On his second try, Antil produced the greatest throw of 70.59 metres, which stood as the record for the whole tournament.In the final, Antil put up a strong effort, breaching the 70-metre barrier to set a new Paralympic record in the F64 category after hitting 69.11 metres on his first try. With a third throw of 66.66 metres, he maintained his excellent form.
Antil concluded the competition with strong throws of 69.04 metres in his fifth try and 66.57 metres in his sixth, despite a foul on his fourth attempt. Nobody else was able to surpass the 70-metre threshold. Dulan Kodithuwakku of Sri Lanka won the silver medal with a best throw of 67.03 metres, while Michal Burian took home the bronze with a best throw of 64.89 metres. The 26-year-old Sonipat, Haryana, native broke his own Paralympic mark of 68.55 metres, which he had established three years prior while taking home the gold in Tokyo.
Amazingly, Antil's world record stands at 73.29 metres. He becomes the second athlete from India to successfully defend a Paralympic title, after shooter Avani Lekhara. Athletes with lower limb disabilities, such as those who compete with prosthetic limbs or have different leg lengths, are classified in the F64 category.