India Achieves Historic Javelin Throw Sweep at Asian Para Games 2026
India's Remarkable Javelin Throw Achievement
In a stunning display of talent, India's Sumit secured the gold medal in the men's javelin throw F42–F44/F61–F64 final during the Asian Para Games 2026. He was joined on the podium by Mahendra Gurjar, who took home the silver, and Sandip Sanjay Sargar, who earned the bronze, marking a complete sweep for India. Competing in the T64 category and backed by the Target Olympic Podium Scheme (TOPS), Sumit achieved a remarkable throw of 72.46 meters, earning him 1,112 points. Mahendra Gurjar set a new Games record in the T42 category with his silver-winning throw of 59.03 meters, scoring 1,066 points. Sandip Sanjay Sargar also set a new Games record in the T44 category with a throw of 64.48 meters, securing 1,006 points. Together, these athletes concluded their Asian Para Games 2026 journey with a gold, silver, and bronze for India.
Comparison with Past Performances
Reflecting on previous competitions, Sumit had previously won gold at the 2022 Asian Para Games with a world-record throw of 73.29 meters. In that event, Pushpendra claimed bronze with a throw of 62.06 meters, while Sandeep finished just shy of the podium in fourth place with a throw of 61.84 meters.
India's Overall Success at Asian Para Games 2026
India's performance at the Asian Para Games 2026 was impressive, with gold medals won in various sports including para-athletics, para-badminton, para-archery, and shooting. Notably, Sumit Antil triumphed in the men's javelin throw, while Mahendra Gurjar and Sandip Sargar followed closely behind. In archery, Harvinder Singh and Vijay Sundi both secured gold in men's recurve events. The para-badminton team, featuring Nitesh Kumar, Naveen Sivakumar, and the women's doubles duo of Thulasimathi Murugesan and Manasi Joshi, also brought home gold medals. Additionally, Sandeep excelled in the men's 400m T64, and Mona Agarwal topped the women's R8 50m rifle 3 positions SH1 event. Indian athletes further contributed to the medal tally with numerous silver and bronze medals across athletics, badminton, swimming, and table tennis, alongside several fourth and fifth-place finishes.