3 min readNew DelhiUpdated: Mar 12, 2026 10:34 PM IST
It was all casual and easy for reigning World and Paralympic champion javelin thrower Sumit Antil. He jogged lightly and practiced his run-up thrice before taking his first throw. He eventually registered a best throw of 69.25m to win the World Para Athletics Grand Prix on Thursday.
However, titles or winning competitions are no longer an area of concern for the Indian star para-athlete, as he has won every competition he has participated in since the Tokyo 2020 Paralympic Games. The 27-year-old from Sonipat is instead chasing the 75m mark, a distance that no para javelin thrower has achieved in the history of para athletics.
His current personal best of 73.29m is also the world record, which he achieved at the 2022 Asian Para Games. Since 2023, Sumit has been constantly hovering around the 73m mark but has never quite managed to cross it despite several strong performances.
“It’s been two years since I have thrown beyond 73m. I have been constantly going around 71 or 72m and sometimes it makes me sad as well. So this year I am going after the 75m mark,” Sumit said after his win. When asked what it would take to cross the 75m mark, Sumit said, “I honestly don’t know because no athlete has done it before. But I am working on everything that can help me achieve it, be it sharpening my technique or increasing my strength and overall power.”
Sumit had an early start to the season and participated at the Dubai Grand Prix last month, where he threw 68.26m to win the gold medal. “I have many international tournaments lined up this season. Right now, I am in the loading phase and wasn’t expecting a 69m throw here. My focus this year is on the Asian Para Games and I want to peak just before that event arrives. So my next target is to register a good throw at the Nottwil Grand Prix in May later this year,” said Sumit.
The two-time Paralympic gold medallist didn’t take a long break after winning the World Championships gold medal last year in front of his family and friends, and plans to compete in more tournaments this year in order to achieve his target of 75m.
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“After the World Championships, we didn’t take a big break. Me and my team were back on track after just 15 days. I have worked on the finer aspects of my technique, like developing a more powerful run-up, and we are doing most of the things right at the moment. I had a slight niggle in my shoulder last year during the Worlds but overall everything is good for me now. I am just waiting for a good day when the conditions are favourable because that is very important for a big throw,” he explained.
One would hope that, like his idol Neeraj Chopra, who achieved the elusive 90m mark last year, Sumit also manages to go beyond 75m at an event where he has already achieved multiple records — the 2026 Asian Para Games scheduled in Aichi-Nagoya, Japan later this year.
© The Indian Express Pvt Ltd
