Before targeting the next frontier of 75 meters at the upcoming World Para Athletics Championships in the capital, two-time Paralympic gold medalist and multiple world record holder Sumit Antil took a moment to reflect on the very start of his extraordinary journey: the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium.
The stadium, which now boasts a vibrant blue Mondo track for the World Championships, holds a powerful memory for Antil—the site of his first steps into para-athletics on the track’s former red synthetic surface.
Antil, who has been a central figure in Indian para-sports since his devastating 2015 motorcycle accident that led to the amputation of his left leg, credits the venue and its former color for laying the foundation for his global dominance.
“I first came to this stadium after my accident, and this is where I was introduced to javelin,” said the reigning Paralympic champion. “The red track taught me patience, technique, and the meaning of resilience. To come back now, seven years and nine world records later, for a home World Championships, is a surreal feeling.”
The star thrower currently holds the F64 world record with a mammoth 73.29m throw, achieved at the 2023 Para Asian Games. With the World Para Athletics Championships set to begin today at the same stadium, Antil is firmly focused on pushing his own boundaries and surpassing the 75-meter mark.
Antil’s journey has been defined by his relentless pursuit of excellence, having broken the world record multiple times, including an incredible three times during his gold-medal performance at the Tokyo Paralympics. Despite recent challenges with a back injury, the athlete maintains his focus is on technique, a philosophy he credits to watching Olympic gold medalist Neeraj Chopra.
His consistency and record-breaking habit have not only secured him multiple World Championships and Paralympic gold medals but also transformed the perception of para-athletes in India. For Antil, the Delhi Championships is not just another competition—it’s a momentous return to the place where his career was re-launched, now aiming for a hat-trick of world titles in front of his home crowd.
