New Delhi: Indian para athletics star Sumit Antil created history once again after breaking his own world record in the Men’s Javelin F64 category during the 8th Indian Open International Para Athletics Championships 2026 in Bengaluru.
The two time Paralympic gold medallist produced a sensational throw of 74.82 metres on Wednesday, surpassing his previous world record mark of 73.29 metres that he had set during the 2022 Asian Para Games in Hangzhou. Representing Haryana, Antil delivered a commanding performance to secure the gold medal and further cement his status as one of the world’s greatest para javelin throwers.
Antil, who won gold medals at both the Tokyo 2020 Paralympic Games and the Paris 2024 Paralympic Games, emerged as the biggest highlight of the championship with his record breaking effort. Maharashtra athlete Sandip Sargar claimed the silver medal with a throw of 62.88 metres, while Rajasthan’s Sandeep secured bronze with 61.83 metres.
The championship also witnessed several notable performances across various track and field events. Paralympic medallist Praveen Kumar cleared 2.00 metres to win gold in the Men’s High Jump T64 category, while Varun Singh Bhati finished second with 1.84 metres.
In the Women’s 400m T20 event, Deepthi Jeevanji delivered an impressive performance, clocking 57.84 seconds to take gold. Maharashtra sprinter Dilip Gavit also impressed by winning the Men’s 400m T47 title in 47.64 seconds.
Another major attraction was the Men’s High Jump T63/T42 event featuring renowned para athletes Mariyappan Thangavelu and Shailesh Kumar competing alongside international participants from Thailand and the Philippines.
The championship, being held from May 26 to 28, has brought together top para athletes from across India and abroad, serving as an important preparation platform ahead of upcoming international competitions.
