Watch| Family, friends celebrate para javelin thrower Sumit Antil’s Paralympics gold

Family members and friends of para javelin thrower Sumit Antil were seen dancing and celebrating Antil’s record-breaking win at Tokyo Paralympics on Monday. Antil, who belongs to Haryana’s Sonipat, won the gold in Men’s Javelin Throw with a World Record throw of 68.55m.

Speaking to ANI, Antil’s mother Nirmala said, “I spoke to him this morning. He asked me not to worry & said, I will get a Gold medal. He lost his legs in 2015 after a fatal accident. After treatment, he went to SAI & later Delhi for training. He has worked really hard even amid COVID.

The 22-year-old athlete is the second Indian para-athlete javelin thrower to bring home the gold medal. The first being Devendra Jhajharia.

Antil added the sixth medal to India’s tally. Table tennis player Bhavina Patel opened India’s medal tally with a silver on Sunday.

On Monday morning, shooter Avani Lekhara scripted history by becoming the first Indian woman to win a gold at the Games. In the other javelin throw event, India’s Devendra Jhajharia, who was eyeing a third gold medal at the Paralympic Games, could not duplicate his 2016 effort and brought home a silver medal. In the same event, Sundar Singh Gurjar also took home a bronze medal in the men’s javelin throw F46 final.

In 2019, World Para Athletics Championships, Antil took home the silver medal.

Antil was 17-year-old when his dream of becoming a wrestler came to a screeching halt. He met with an accident in 2015 as a tractor ran over his leg.

In an interview with the Times of India, Sumit had said: “…when I met with a road accident in 2015, my wrestling journey ended on a terrible note. I was riding my bike and a tractor hit my bike from behind. I slipped on the road and then the tractor driver failed to apply the brakes on time and ran over my left leg.”