Tokyo Paralympics gold medalist javelin thrower Sumit Antil desires to enhance upon his world document in his bid to defend his title within the Males’s F64 class on the Paris Paralympics Video games.
Tokyo Paralympics gold medalist Indian javelin thrower Sumit Antil desires to enhance upon his world document in his bid to defend his title within the Males’s F64 class on the Paris Paralympics Video games.
Sumit, together with Bhagyashree Jadhav (shot put, F34 class) will likely be Indian flag bearer on the opening ceremony of the Paralympics Video games to be held from August 28 to September 8, 2024.
He had set a world document thrice within the Tokyo Paralympics and gained the gold medal with the most effective throw of 68.55 metres.
He bettered it with a brand new world document throw of 70.83 meters on the 2023 Para World Championships and additional improved it on the Hangzhou Para Asian Video games (2023) to win the gold with an effort of 73.29 metres.
F64 class offers with issues in Decrease limb/s. Athlete competing with prosthesis affected by limb deficiency and leg size distinction
“My long-term aim is to attain a distance of 80 meters however within the Paris Paralympics, I’ll attempt to win the gold medal with a effort of 75 meters,” the 26-year-old advised PTI-Bhasha in an unique interview.
The athlete, who misplaced one in every of his limb in a highway accident in 2015, gained the gold medal on the Para World Championship in Could this 12 months with an effort of 69.50 metres.
Sumit mentioned: “My throws throughout apply have been fairly constant. I’ve labored exhausting on growing power with out altering my approach. I’ll attempt to enhance my earlier document.”
When requested concerning the stress of being defending champion and being the Indian flag bearer, he mentioned, “There isn’t any stress proper now however issues will likely be recognized after reaching Paris. When you attain the Video games village or at competitors venue, issues grow to be a little bit completely different. I’ll attempt to do my finest with out taking stress.”
“I wish to take pleasure in this second. For the primary time, such a big and robust contingent from India goes to the Paralympics and I really feel proud to be the flag bearer,” he added.
The Indian contingent includes 84 athletes throughout 12 disciplines for the Paralympics .
This Padma Shri awardee mentioned, “Being a flag bearer in an occasion like Paralympics is a distinct form of emotion. That is the primary time I will likely be part of the opening ceremony of the Paralympics.
“On the time of the Tokyo Paralympics, there have been plenty of restrictions because of the Covid-19 pandemic. I reached late there in keeping with the schedule of my competitors.”
Sumit mentioned that after the Tokyo Paralympics, he targeted extra on practising as an alternative of collaborating in numerous competitions.
He mentioned, “I’ve participated in very restricted competitions. I’ve spent extra time in apply. Competitions hold occurring however my goal is to get a medal for India within the Paralympics and my total focus has been on this for the final three years.”
He mentioned, “I choose to apply in India solely quite than overseas. I went to Finland in 2018 however I didn’t really feel a lot enchancment there. I apply at SAI (Sports activities Authority of India) Sonipat centre, which is supplied with a observe for Javelin throw and world-class amenities.”
When Sumit was requested whether or not he too was a little bit disenchanted with Neeraj Chopra’s silver medal within the Olympics, he mentioned, “Neeraj Bhai carried out very effectively. It will be fallacious to say that we have been heartbroken by his effort. Quite a bit relies on the day at this degree of competitors. It wasn’t our day in Tokyo. It was Arshad Nadeem’s ( Gold medal winner) day in Paris.”
He mentioned, “I’m very pleased with Neeraj’s efficiency. It’s tough to ship your season’s finest efficiency beneath stress on a stage just like the Olympics. I feel as soon as he crosses the 90m mark, we can have plenty of gold medals.”
Sumit mentioned that he has been part of Goal Olympics Podium Scheme (TOPS) since 2019 and he’s getting every kind of assist from it.
“I’ve been part of the TOPS scheme since 2019 and since that point I’ve been getting prosthetic legs from overseas. Together with my prosthetics, TOPS supplies every little thing I want for my recreation,” he concluded.