Paris Paralympics: Meet Sumit Antil, India’s other javelin hero

It’s not easy to acquire star status of sorts as a para athlete in a country where Paralympics have just started capturing the consciousness in a big way after the medal rush in Tokyo. However, Sumit Antil, the gold medallist javelin thrower in men’s F64 category in Tokyo and the current world record holder in his category is an exception.

No wonder the 26-year-old from Sonepat has earned the sobriquet of ‘Neeraj Chopra of Paralympics’ after he struck gold in the same venue in Japan less than a month after Neeraj created history in 2021. Comparisons are certainly odious, but the consistency that Sumit brings to the table certainly reminds one of Neeraj, winning back-to-back golds at the World Championships after Tokyo in Paris (2023) and Kobe (2024), apart from a world record heave of 73.29 m in the Hangzhou Para Asian Games last year being like a jewel in the crown.

"The target right now is simply to beat my last record and hit the 75 m mark. My category has some strong competition, some good Australian throwers and others from Sri Lanka as well," Sumit said in a media interaction.

Striking a realistic note, he said: "It all matters on the day, maybe 75 m could also be out of reach as well but that may not mean I can’t defend gold. The aim is to attempt to produce my best on the day that it matters most. That is not always easy."

Sumit, of course, is effusive in praise of the influence the Neeraj factor has wielded in their sport in the country in recent years. "Neeraj bhai’s 89.45 m throw (in Olympics) was a great effort. It was his season’s best and it came after he was carrying an injury — that says a lot about the man," he said.

"The way he has improved the javelin standards in India is amazing, he deserves all the credit for that. I have not thought about having the same kind of impact as he has had on this sport — the focus is only on doing my best — but of course, it would be great to inspire people the way he does," he said in all humility.

Sumit, who received a funding of Rs 58.97 lakh from the Union sports ministry’s Target Olympic Podium Scheme (TOPS), revealed a simple piece of advice from Neeraj ahead of the upcoming Paralympics. "He says that I should not try anything new and just trust my preparation by staying cool and steady," he said.

Life dealt Sumit a body blow when he lost his left leg in an accident in 2015. However, the support from his family and his resilience helped him overcome the tragedy as he throws the javelin with a prosthetic left leg – a great physical challenge by itself.

"I have become a lot more consistent than the time I competed in Tokyo Paralympics. This is because the expectations from everyone has increased manifold since my gold in Tokyo. Before that, not many people knew about me. I have also become more disciplined than last time and it is reflecting in the way I am performing in recent events."

However, given the nature of his sport, Sumit is aware that javelin can cause injuries anytime. He had been carrying a back injury that he expected to heal before the competition at Paris began. Speaking on the sidelines of a send-off ceremony in New Delhi last week, he said: “We are very conscious about injuries this time as it does impact our throws. Right now I have a minor back injury and I don’t want that to impact my performance in Paris. Apart from that, my preparation has been good and I will try to return with a good result."