India dominated the men’s F42-F44/F61-F64 javelin final at the Asian Para Games, capturing gold, silver, and bronze.
Sumit Antil secured gold with a 72.64m throw, while Sandip Sargar (64.48m) and Mahendra Gurjar (59.03m) claimed silver and bronze
The podium sweep propelled India to 104 medals, bringing them within striking distance of their all-time best of 111 set in Hangzhou
India owned the javelin runway at the Asian Para Games on Friday, finishing 1-2-3 in the men’s F42-F44/F61-F64 final to collect gold, silver and bronze in a single event. Sumit Antil, the Paralympic and world champion, led the way with a best throw of 72.64m. It was never in doubt, and the rest of the field was left chasing him from the first round.
The battle for the other two medals was just as impressive. Sandip Sargar hurled 64.48m for silver, and Mahendra Gurjar’s 59.03m earned him bronze. Both marks were Games records in the combined-class event. Antil’s margin of more than eight metres over his closest rival showed how far India’s trio stood above the rest.
For Antil, it was one more chapter in a career built on defiance. The Sonepat athlete lost his left leg below the knee in a motorbike accident in 2015, and he went on to win Paralympic gold in Tokyo with a world record 68.55m. He later defended that title in Paris, making him a two-time Paralympic champion. The world titles followed too, including gold at the 2025 World Para Athletics Championships. At the previous Asian Para Games in Hangzhou, he won gold with a world record 73.29m
Sargar and Gurjar, meanwhile, had their own stories to tell. Sargar arrived as the reigning F44 world champion, having won the 2025 title with 62.82m. Gurjar’s bronze marked a clear step up for a thrower who had finished seventh in the F44 javelin at those same Worlds with 57.84m.
The sweep gave India’s campaign a further push. India are fourth in the medal table with 113 medals: 29 gold, 35 silver and 49 bronze. They have comfortably crossed their all-time best of 111 medals set at Hangzhou in 2023
