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Sumit Antil clinched gold in the men’s javelin throw F64 class at Paris 2024 and became the first Indian male para-athlete to defend his title in the Paralympics.
Nearly a couple of months ago, Sumit Antil defended his Paralympics gold in javelin throw in Paris. The celebrations though continue at his home. From gracing felicitation ceremonies, meeting Prime Minister Narendra Modi, media engagements, appearances on TV shows, Antil and his gold medal have been everywhere. The star is getting the adulation.
Before flying to Paris, Antil came across an article headlined ‘Most Favourite Athletes of the Country’ that featured his name alongside several others. That’s when he realised that people were actually expecting him to shine at the highest level and bring laurels to the nation.
In an exclusive interview with CNN News18, the 26-year-old says he feels lucky to have received so much love and respect in return.
“It’s been surreal. After winning the medal, PM Modi spoke to me and it was a great experience. Coming back home, I was showered with love and respect. People actually expected me to defend the title,” Antil said.
“I was going through some articles about ‘Most Favourite Athletes’ of the country which also featured my name. So it’s good to know that people expect that much from me. I’m lucky to reach where I’m right now and motivate future generations.
“When we represent India, it’s our responsibility to give our best. It feels great to have defended the Paralympics Gold with a new Games Record. The victory also motivates me to push myself to achieve the best in the upcoming competitions,” he added.
‘I’m Far from My Peak’
Antil defended his gold in Paris with a new Paralympic record of 70.59m. He made six throws in the event – including one deliberate foul – and thrice he went past the previous Paralympic record of 68.55m, set by himself to claim gold at Tokyo 2020.
In fact, he recorded 73m in Hangzhou last year to clinch the Asian Games gold.
Antil is hungrier for more success and now wants to breach the 80m mark.
“Going into the Paris games, we expected to better that record and hit 74-75m, given the efforts we put in. But sometimes, it also depends on the conditions, like the weather, and how your body responds to them. The luck factor is also there,” Antil said.
“But in future, be it in LA 2028 or somewhere else, I would like to breach the 80m barrier. I actually want to experience how it feels to hit that distance because nobody has done that. When I started, 59m was the world record. But now it’s time to push limits with a legendary throw,” he added.
A ‘Nobody’ in Tokyo But A National Hero in Paris
Antil was an unknown name until his memorable show in Tokyo. In a world under the grip of Covid pandemic, he competed at his first ever Paralympics, delivering effortless throws in a near-empty arena. However, the atmosphere in Paris was entirely different.
Competing amid high expectations at a packed Stade de France posed a new challenge. Yet, the thunderous cheers fuelled his adrenaline, driving him to secure a podium finish and proudly sing the national anthem.
“When I went to Tokyo in 2021, nobody except my near and dear ones knew me. But Paris was a different case. People expected me to excel. Tokyo was my first Paralympics so the pressure was less and there was no crowd. But things were different in Paris and even the chest number.
“A full house welcomed me in the arena and the adrenaline rush was high. But it was the best experience of my life. I had too much fun and so was the pressure because nobody before me had defended the title. Since Avani [Lekhara] did it shooting, it gave a faith that I too can do it,” he said.
Preparation For Second Consecutive Gold
Since claiming his gold in Tokyo, Antil has competed relentlessly in tournaments globally. Along the way, he sustained an injury – a niggle in his back – that made its presence felt during Paris Paralympics. The odds stacked against him, he religiously followed the training schedule and didn’t tinker with his technique by trying something new, and stuck to the basics.
“We had proper planning and executed it to the hilt. I had an injury during the Asian para games last year which somehow affected my performance. It was much better coming to Paris but during the event, I felt that the injury was impacting my throw.
“But preparation-wise, I tried nothing new but levelled up my technical aspects. I kept on competing since winning the Tokyo gold. Now that I have an off-season ahead, we’ll try something new and analyse how fruitful it would be,” Antil added.
Scope For Improvement
Antil’s landing foot is amputated and it hampers his ability to an extent that he sometimes finds it difficult to balance his body. Before reaching Paris, he lost 10 kgs to overcome this issue.
However, there remains much room for improvement, which he and his team are working tirelessly to achieve.
“I was very serious about the Paris Games. I have shredded 10 kilos since the Asian games so we need to change the alignment as per that. We’ll try to improve the balance. I have a prosthetist with whom I’m going to work on this. There’s a massive scope for improvement which we shall surely overcome going forward,” Antil said.
‘Mother, My Biggest Support System’
After Antil’s golden triumph in Paris, his mother Nirmala Devi stated in the media that his son’s ability to improve his world mark had come from his late father, who served as a mechanic at the Indian Air Force. After his father’s death and the accident that cost Antil his leg, Devi supported her son wholeheartedly, encouraging him to pursue his dreams despite the physical challenges.
With a smile on his face, Antil recalls how his mother never let him feel that he’s differently abled.
“My mother has motivated me a lot. She never made me feel like a differently abled. She made me work in the field like I used to do before. Because she knew that sympathies won’t work. I had to be on my own. She has been my biggest support system,” Antil said.
“Be it my training or anything else, she has been there physically, emotionally and financially. Even after my accident, when people had given up on me, she was the one who told me to do whatever I wanted to. She never wanted me to regret not doing anything that I ever wanted,” he added.
Bond with Neeraj
Antil keeps in touch with ace javelin thrower Neeraj Chopra. Since they play the same sport, the conversations are mostly about the game, the technique and ways to excel.
“We recently met at an event in Mumbai and clicked a photo together which I shared on social media. Most of our conversations are game-related; what to improve, and we keep motivating each other,” Antil concluded.