EXCLUSIVE| Sumit Antil on becoming India’s most successful para athlete at world championships: ‘I feel really special’
Sumit Antil talks about defending his title at the World Para Athletics Championships in Delhi which also saw him become India’s most decorated para-athlete
Para athlete Sumit Antil’s golden streak continues. The Paralympic champion once again proved his dominance by clinching gold in the men’s F64 javelin event at the World Para Athletics Championships 2025 in New Delhi last week. With this win, he not only defended his world title but also became the most decorated Indian para-athlete in the history of these championship — a feat that cements his legacy as one of the country’s finest.
After his victory, an emotional Sumit reflected on what the medal means to him. “It feels special because it’s not just another gold. It’s a reminder of how far I’ve come and how the decision I took years ago was worth every struggle,” he said.
Sumit’s journey began in 2017 when he was a second-year student at Delhi University’s Ramjas College. With promising academic prospects, he had a stable future lined up. But fate had already written a different script. After losing his left leg in a road accident in 2015, he found himself standing at a crossroads. “I could’ve chosen to focus on studies and move on, but something in me said I should give sports a try. I knew I could train for 8 hours, but I could not sit and study for the same time," he recalled.
The early years were filled with doubt, pain, and uncertainty. “There were times I felt I wasn’t cut out for it. Training was hard, and mentally I had to start from zero. But every small improvement gave me hope. And since then, there has been no turning back,” he added.
Today, his throw of 71.37 metres not only reaffirmed his world-class consistency but also underscored his hunger to keep improving. “Every time I compete, I want to push the boundary a little more. Records will come and go, but what stays is the satisfaction that I gave my best every single day,” he said.
