Bengaluru: Indian para-athletics superstar Sumit Antil shattered his own world record in the men’s javelin throw F64 event on Wednesday, producing a massive throw of 74.82 meters at the 8th Indian Open International Para Athletics Championships.

The 27-year-old two-time Paralympic gold medalist, representing Haryana, eclipsed his previous world record of 73.29 meters, which he had established at the 2022 Asian Para Games in Hangzhou, China.

Antil has dominated the global stage in the F64 category—a classification for athletes with lower limb impairments competing with prostheses—for several years. Following his record-breaking performance in Bengaluru, the Sonipat native reaffirmed his commitment to reaching even greater heights, with his sights firmly set on breaching the 80-meter mark in the near future, a distance rarely challenged even by able-bodied athletes.

A Decorated Career

Antil’s career has been defined by consistency and excellence at the highest levels of competition. His major international achievements include:

  • Paralympic Games: Gold medals at Tokyo 2020 and Paris 2024.
  • World Para Athletics Championships: Three consecutive titles in 2023, 2024, and 2025.
  • Asian Para Games: Gold medal at the 2022 edition in Hangzhou.

In addition to his medal haul, Antil holds the championship record of 71.37 meters, which he set at the 2025 World Para Athletics Championships in New Delhi.

Journey from Wrestling to World Stage

Born on June 7, 1998, in Khewra, Haryana, Antil’s path to becoming a global icon was marked by resilience. A student of Delhi’s Ramjas College, he was originally an able-bodied wrestler with dreams of joining the Indian Army. His life changed in 2015 when he was 17 years old; a severe motorbike accident involving a speeding truck resulted in the amputation of his left leg below the knee.

After abandoning his wrestling career, Antil was introduced to the world of para-athletics in 2018 by a fellow para-athlete in his village. Since then, he has rapidly ascended the ranks, becoming one of India's most celebrated athletes, having been honoured with the Khel Ratna in 2021 and the Padma Shri in 2022.