New Delhi, Oct 2: India’s para javelin ace Sumit Antil continued his golden run by clinching his third successive title at the World Para Athletics Championships, winning the men’s F64 event here on Tuesday.The 27-year-old, who had also claimed top honours in the 2023 and 2024 editions, produced a best throw of 71.37m in his fifth attempt to secure the gold. In the process, he bettered his own Championships record of 70.83m set last year.
Antil, a double Paralympic champion with gold medals in Tokyo 2021 and Paris 2024, is also the reigning Asian Para Games winner.
Yogesh wins silver
India’s Yogesh Kathuniya won yet another silver medal in the men’s F56 discus throw event at the World Para Athletics Championships here on Tuesday, as his quest for a maiden gold at the global level continued.
The 28-year-old Kathuniya sent the disc to 42.49m in his second attempt to win the silver. He has been winning a medal in all the four world championships since 2019.
He picked up his third successive silver in the World Championships — the other two being in 2023 and 2024 editions — in addition to the two silver medals in the Paralympic Games (2021 and 2024). He had also won a bronze in the 2019 edition. In the 2023 Hangzhou Asian Para Games also, he won a silver.
World record holder Brazilian ace Claudiney Batista won the gold with a throw of 45.67m. Each of his six throws were better than that of Kathuniya’s best effort of the day. This was Batista’s fourth successive gold in the world championships starting from the 2019 edition. He has also won gold in the last three Paralympic Games.
Kathuniya has not been able to beat the Brazilian in four world championships and two Paralympic Games.
The F56 category is meant for athletes who compete in field events from a seated position. Different athletes, including those with amputations and spinal cord injuries compete in this class.