Indian Open International Para Championships: Sumit Antil calls Bengaluru lucky charm after World Record show

Bengaluru: Two-time Paralympics Champion Sumit Antil returned to his favourite hunting ground Sree Kanteerava Stadium to reset his F64 javelin throw world record at 74.82 metre on Day 2 of the Indian Open International Para Championships here on Wednesday.

The 27-year-old amputee athlete, who lost his left leg in a bike accident at the age of 17, surpassed his previous best of 73.29 metres (set at the Para Asian Games in 2023) in a field that had no competition on offer. The competition also served as the final trials for the Para Asiad in October.

“Bengaluru has always been lucky for me as I have always done well here. That’s why I came here thinking of improving my world record,” Sumit told DH. “Going 74.82 means I am not far from the 75-mark, which I have been trying to breach for the last three years. This result gives me immense motivation with the Asian Para Games coming up later in the year, I will aim for the mark there.”

Sumit’s best attempt of the day came from his penultimate throw in the day while one of his earlier throws also went visibly above 73m but was not counted due to a foul.

His coach Vipin Kasana, who was India’s best javelin thrower in the early 2010s, wasn’t expecting the record as a recurring neck injury impacted Sumit’s training over the last month.

“In training, we kept the throws below 50m to ensure his injury wasn’t aggravated and allowed him time to heal,” said Vipin. “But once one of his fouled throws went big, I knew a record was possible today.”

Meanwhile, Paralympic javelin record holder Navdeep Singh won the men’s F41 category comfortably with an attempt of 44.89. 

Results: Winners and Karnataka only: Men: 400m: T11: Jadunath Majhi (Odi) 58.32, 1; Koratikere Guru Keshava Murthy (Kar) 59.72, 2. T12: Chirag Tyagi (UP) 50.12. T36: Chirag (Del) 1:03.83. T37: Swastik Sahoo (Odi) 56.11. T38: Akira Nandan Banothu (Tel) 52.06; Devadiga Sachidananda (Kar) 1:02.25, 3. T47: Dilip Gavit (Mah) 47.64; Babu Janu Pandaramise (Kar) 48.81, 2. T53: Kamalakanta Nayak (Odi) 1:10.72. T54: Ramesh Shanmugam (TN) 53.63.

High jump: T63: Shailesh Kumar (Bih) 1.84m. T64: Praveen Kumar (UP) 2.00m.

Discus throw: F57: Parveen Kumar (Har) 43.99m.

Javelin throw: F13: Manjeet (Har) 59.08m. F37/F38: Haney (Har) 60.70m. F41: Navdeep (Har) 44.89m. F46: Rinku (Har) 61.70m. F64: Sumit (Har) 74.82m.

Club throw: F32: Gowthaman Elangovan (TN) 26.51m. F51: Pranav Soorma (Har) 34.04m.

Women: 400m: T11: Ravanni Valasanaini (AP) 1:04.62. T12: Tejalben Amraji Damor (Guj) 56.42; Soumya Soumya (Kar) 1:06.51, 2. T13: Shanti Bai Jhariya (MP) 1:12.28. T20: Deepthi Jeevanji (Tel) 57.84. T37/T38: Bina Sambhubhai Moradiya (Guj) 1:12.42. T47: Anjanaben Rohit Bumbadiya (Guj) 58.13.

Shot Put: F11/F12: Rajashri Kasdekar (Mah) 7.96m; Manjula Hunase Katte Kumarap (Kar) 7.42m, 2; Gangavva Neelap Harijan (Kar) 7.19m, 3. F20: Khushboo Gill (Raj) 11.10m. F35/F36/F37: Lakshmi (Har) 7.98m. F40/F41: Enbatamizhi Sivakumar (TN) 6.20m. F46: Amisha Rawat (Utk) 11.55m. F64: Dayawanti Dayawanti (Har) 9.09m.

Discus throw: F54: Suvarna Raj (UP) 16.57m. F55: Karamjyoti (Har) 21.36m. F56/F57: Fatima Khatoon (UP) 18.57m.

Javelin throw: F12/F13: Gangavva Neelap Harijan (Kar) 22.85m. F34: Bhagyashri Jadhav (Mah) 14.07m. F46: Bhavanaben Ajab Chaudhary (Guj) 37.01m.