Aichi-Nagoya, 23 October (H.S.): Indian para-athletes delivered an outstanding performance in the men’s javelin throw at the 2026 Asian Para Games, sweeping all three medals. Paralympic champion Sumit Antil successfully defended his title to win gold, while Mahendra Gurjar claimed silver and Sandeep Sanjay Sargar secured bronze. India thus occupied all three podium positions in the combined F42–F44 and F61–F64 categories.

Antil clinched the gold medal with a throw of 72.46 metres, which he achieved in his second attempt, earning 1,112 Raza points. He had opened with a throw of 70.16 metres before recording 69.79 metres in the third attempt, 69.18 metres in the fourth and 68.44 metres in the sixth. His fifth attempt was ruled invalid. The distance achieved in his second attempt proved sufficient to keep him at the top of the standings.

Mahendra Gurjar won the silver medal with a best effort of 59.03 metres. Competing in the F42 category, he also established a new Games record and accumulated 1,066 Raza points. His best throw came in the third attempt, following efforts of 53.72 metres and 54.44 metres in the first and second rounds, respectively. Although he could not improve on his third-round distance, his record-setting performance secured second place.

Sandeep Sanjay Sargar claimed bronze with a throw of 64.48 metres. In the F44 category, he set a new Games record and earned 1,006 Raza points. He began with throws of 62.38 metres and 62.69 metres in his first two attempts before recording his best distance of 64.48 metres in the third. He subsequently threw 60.72 metres in the fourth attempt and 63.09 metres in the fifth, while his sixth attempt was declared invalid.

Sri Lanka’s Samitha Kodithuwakku finished fourth with a best effort of 64.10 metres. He achieved the distance in his fourth attempt and earned 1,001 Raza points but could not break India’s hold on the top three positions.

The result was particularly notable as Antil retained his gold medal, while Gurjar and Sargar established new Games records in their respective classifications to win silver and bronze. The three-medal sweep marked a memorable achievement for India in the javelin throw.

Rakeshbhai Bhatt and Sandeep Add Two More Bronze Medals for India

Indian para-athletes Rakeshbhai Bhatt and Sandeep also won bronze medals in athletics at the 2026 Asian Para Games. Bhatt finished third in the men’s 200-metre T37 final, while Sandeep secured bronze in the men’s 100-metre T44 event.

Khelo India athlete Rakeshbhai Bhatt clocked 25.02 seconds to claim bronze in the men’s 200-metre T37 race. With this result, he concluded his campaign at the 2026 Games with two bronze medals. At the previous edition in 2022, India’s Shreyansh had won bronze in the same event with a time of 25.26 seconds.

Sandeep, meanwhile, finished the men’s 100-metre T44 final in 11.67 seconds to secure bronze. The medal was his second of the competition, following an earlier gold-medal performance in which he set a world record. He therefore ended his campaign with one gold and one bronze medal.

At the 2022 Asian Para Games, two Indian athletes competed in the men’s 100-metre T44 event, finishing fifth and seventh with times of 12.34 seconds and 12.48 seconds, respectively. Sandeep’s bronze medal this year marked an improvement in India’s performance in the event.

The achievements of Bhatt and Sandeep further strengthened India’s medal tally in para-athletics at the 2026 Asian Para Games.

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Hindusthan Samachar / Jun Sarkar