India’s two-time world champion and Paralympic medallist Sumit Antil won his second consecutive gold medal at the Paris Para Games and dedicated the achievement to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, fulfilling a promise he made to the PM after his victory at the Tokyo Paralympics.
Sumit created history by becoming the first para-athlete to win gold medals at consecutive Paralympic Games, winning the yellow medal with a sensational Paralympic record in the men’s javelin throw F64 event.
The 26-year-old Indian para-athlete achieved the feat with a new Paralympic record of 70.59m at the Stade de France. Incredibly, Sumit broke the previous Paralympic record set three times en route to winning the gold at Tokyo 2020.
The Prime Minister met India’s leading Paralympians at his residence on Thursday and congratulated them for their record-breaking haul of 29 medals at the Paris Games.
Speaking to PM Modi, Sumit recalled his meeting with the Prime Minister after winning the gold medal in Tokyo three years ago, during which the Prime Minister had asked him to promise to bring two more gold medals to the Games.
“This is my second consecutive gold medal. I remember when I won the gold medal in Tokyo, you took a promise from me that I will win two gold medals. This second gold is for you,” Sumit told the PM.
“I read articles listing favourite athletes who could save their gold medals, and my name was also among them. But when we spoke on August 20, I remembered that moment at the Tokyo Paralympics,” he said. On behalf of my entire team, I would like to thank you.”
India finished 18th in the medal tally with seven gold, nine silver and 13 bronze medals, winning a total of 29 medals. The contingent broke the record for the best medals won by India at the 2020 Tokyo Paralympics (19).
A record 84 para-athletes represented India at the Paris 2024 Paralympics, held from August 28 to September 8 in the French capital. India participated in 12 sports, three more than at Tokyo 2020. Indian para-athletes competed in three new sports at Paris 2024 – para cycling, para rowing and blind judo.
