Sumit Antil headlines final day of 8th Indian Open Para Athletics International Championship
Bengaluru, May 28
Paralympic champion Sumit Antil emerged as the star attraction on the concluding day of the 8th Indian Open Para Athletics International Championship 2026, producing a dominant performance in the Men's Javelin Throw F64 event at the Shree Kanteerava Stadium in Bengaluru.
Representing Haryana, Sumit clinched the gold medal with a massive throw of 74.82m. Maharashtra's Sandip Sargar secured silver with an effort of 62.88m, while Rajasthan's Sandeep claimed bronze with a throw of 61.83m, according to a press release.
Another exciting contest unfolded in the Men's Javelin Throw F46 category, where Haryana's Rinku won gold with a best throw of 61.70m. Uttar Pradesh's Ajeet Singh took silver with 60.72m, while Ravi Kumar added another bronze for Uttar Pradesh with 59.33m.
In the Men's Javelin Throw F57 event, Haryana's Parveen Kumar topped the podium with a throw of 45.02m ahead of Uttarakhand's Hem Chandra (42.60m) and Tamil Nadu's Balasubramanian Arulraj (40.62m).
Paralympic medallist Nishad Kumar showcased his class in the Men's High Jump T47 event, winning gold for Himachal Pradesh after clearing 2.05m. Haryana's Ram Pal bagged silver with 1.86m.
On the track, Andhra Pradesh's Lalitha Killaka won the Women's 200m T11 title with a timing of 29.97 seconds, while Uttar Pradesh's Preeti Pal secured gold in the Women's 200m T35 event, clocking 29.33 seconds.
Asian Para Games champion Deepthi Jeevanji of Telangana continued her impressive form by winning gold in the Women's 400m T20 event with a timing of 57.84 seconds. Haryana athletes Bhuvi Agrawal and Pooja finished second and third, respectively.
In the women's field events, Gujarat's Bhavanaben Ajab Chaudhary won gold in the Women's Javelin Throw F46 with a throw of 37.01m. Rajasthan's Lalita Saini claimed silver while Andhra Pradesh's Hosuru Uppara Shivani secured bronze.
The three-day championship concluded on a high note with several top Indian para athletes delivering impressive performances ahead of upcoming international competitions. Organised under the aegis of the Paralympic Committee of India, the championship once again highlighted the growing depth and strength of para athletics in the country.
— ANI
Reader Comments
Brilliant performances all around! Nishad Kumar clearing 2.05m in high jump is phenomenal. So happy to see Haryana dominating in many events. The future of Indian para sports looks very bright.
It's wonderful to see so many states being represented - from Haryana to Andhra Pradesh, Gujarat to Uttar Pradesh. The depth in para athletics is really growing. Deepthi Jeevanji's timing in 400m T20 is super impressive. Kudos to all athletes! 🙌
Inspiring to see this level of competition. But I wish there was more media coverage and public attention for these athletes. They train just as hard as any other sportsperson. Hopefully, with more such championships, the recognition will grow.
What a fantastic championship! Parveen Kumar's gold in javelin F57 and Lalitha Killaka's 200m T11 win are my highlights. The fact that these athletes overcome so many challenges to represent India is truly humbling. Jai Hind! 🇮🇳
I appreciate the efforts of Paralympic Committee of India for organizing this. But honestly, the prize money should be increased and these events should get more sponsorship. Our para athletes deserve better rewards for bringing glory to the nation.
L Lisa P