Meet Haryana’s two-time Paralympic champ wins gold with 72.46m at Asian Para Games 2026Mahendra Gurjar silver, Sandip Sargar bronze as India sweeps podium.
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Haryana’s Sumit Antil defends Asian Para Games gold (Photo: X)
India enjoyed a memorable day in para athletics at the Asian Para Games 2026 as Sumit Antil, Mahendra Gurjar and Sandip Sanjay Sargar claimed gold, silver and bronze medals respectively in the men’s javelin throwThe Indian trio swept all three podium places in the combined F42–F44/F61–F64 event on Friday.
Sumit led the Indian charge with a best throw of 72.46 metres, successfully defending his Asian Para Games titleMahendra finished second with 59.03 metres, while Sandip secured bronze with a throw of 64.48 metres.
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The results added three more medals to India’s campaign and highlighted the country’s strength in para athletics.
Sumit Antil defends Gold with 72.46m throw
The 28-year-old Sumit produced his best effort in the second attempt, throwing 72.46 metres to take the gold medalCompeting in the F64 category, the Haryana athlete remained ahead of his rivals despite falling short of his own world record.
Sumit had won gold at the 2022 Asian Para Games in Hangzhou with a world-record throw of 73.29 metresHe later improved that mark to 74.82 metres in May 2026.
A two-time Paralympic gold medallist, Sumit has established himself as one of India’s leading para-athletesHis latest victory adds another major achievement to his career as he continues to compete at the highest level.
Mahendra Gurjar and Sandip Sargar complete Indian sweep
Mahendra Gurjar claimed the silver medal with a throw of 59.03 metres, setting a new Games record in the T42 categoryHe scored 1,066 points in the combined event.
Sandip Sanjay Sargar secured bronze with a 64.48-metre effort, also setting a Games record in the T44 categoryHis performance earned him 1,006 points.
Although Sandip recorded a longer distance than Mahendra, Gurjar finished ahead because rankings in combined para-athletics events are decided using RAZA pointsThese points help compare performances across different disability classifications.
Who Is Sumit Antil?
Sumit Antil was born on June 7, 1998, at Sonipat, HaryanaHe loved wrestling until he lost his left leg in an accident on his way home from a coaching class.
Sumit was fitted with a prosthetic leg and treated, but he had to learn to live a new wayHis introduction to para athletics through fellow athlete Rajkumar helped him find a new sporting goal.
With support from his family and coaches, Sumit worked hard to establish himself in javelin throwHis performances at the Tokyo Paralympics and the Asian Para Games brought him national recognition.
India celebrate a memorable Para Athletics result
The gold, silver and bronze sweep underlined India’s depth in the men’s javelin throwWith Sumit defending his title and Gurjar and Sargar setting category-specific Games records, the trio delivered a memorable result for the Indian contingent at the Asian Para Games 2026.
