Bengaluru, May 27: In a remarkable display of talent, two-time Paralympic gold medalist Sumit Antil shattered his own world record at the 8th Indian Open International Para Athletics Championship 2026. Competing in the men’s javelin F64 category, Antil achieved an impressive throw of 74.82 meters, surpassing his previous record of 73.29 meters set at the 2022 Hangzhou Asian Para Games.
Antil, representing Haryana, captivated the audience with his performance, securing the gold medal on the second day of the competition. Sandeep Sargar from Maharashtra won the silver medal with a throw of 62.88 meters, while Rajasthan’s Sandeep claimed bronze with a throw of 61.83 meters.
The championship, taking place from May 26 to 28 in Bengaluru, has showcased numerous outstanding performances across various track and field events. Paralympic medalist Praveen Kumar won gold in the men’s high jump T64 category by clearing a height of 2.00 meters, while Varun Singh Bhati secured silver with a jump of 1.84 meters.
In the women’s 400 meters T20 event, Tokyo Paralympic gold medalist Deepti Jivanji finished first with a time of 57.84 seconds. Dilip Gavit from Maharashtra clinched gold in the men’s 400 meters T47 category, completing the race in 47.64 seconds.
In the men’s javelin F46 competition, Haryana’s Rinku emerged victorious with a throw of 61.70 meters, defeating Uttar Pradesh athletes Ajit Singh (60.72 meters) and Ravi Kumar (59.33 meters).
Another highlight of the day was the men’s high jump T63/T42 event, where renowned para-athletes Mariyappan Thangavelu and Shailesh Kumar competed against international participants from Thailand and the Philippines, showcasing the championship’s growing competitive level.
The impressive performances continued in the field events, with Honey winning the men’s javelin F37/F38 title with a throw of 60.70 meters, and Pranav Surma taking gold in the men’s club throw F51 with a distance of 34.04 meters.
Among the female athletes, Gujarat’s Nimisha Chakkungal won gold in the women’s long jump T47 with an impressive leap of 5.43 meters, while Bhavanaben Ajab Chaudhary claimed the women’s javelin F46 title with a throw of 37.01 meters.
This championship serves as a significant platform for top para-athletes from across India and international competitors ahead of upcoming international events.