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For history-making Indian javelin thrower Sumit Antil, who has been battling a back injury for over a year, the road to victory at the Paralympics has been paved with a ‘sweet sacrifice’ and many sleepless nights. The 26-year-old Antil faced a tough choice in preparation for the Paralympics – give up his favourite sweets or risk his career as he was rapidly gaining weight and suffered a back injury before the Asian Para Games in Hangzhou last year, where he won a gold medal. On the advice of his physio, Antil reluctantly gave up sweets, followed a strict training schedule and lost nearly 12 kg in just two months.
His sacrifices paid off on Monday when the Sonipat youth became the first Indian man and second overall to defend a Paralympic title. He won the gold medal in the F64 category with a record throw of 70.59m.
This new record is better than his previous Paralympic best (68.55m), which he set three years ago at the Tokyo Paralympics.
“I have lost around 10-12 kgs. My physio Vipin bhai told me that the weight was putting pressure on my spine. So I gave up eating sweets, which are my favourite, and focussed on eating right,” he told the media here.
After returning to India, Antil will first take adequate rest to heal his back.
“I was not 100 per cent fit. I had to take painkillers before the throw and was not in my best condition even during training. The first priority is to get my back right after returning to India because the kind of injury I have, rest is a must.”
He said, “With the competitions being so close, I have not been able to rest properly and am constantly taking precautions to protect my back. I am being careful in every move I make so that my back does not get worse.”
He also thanked his coach (Arun Kumar) who always understood his needs, stayed up all night to make his schedule and worked very hard. He said that his coach worked even harder than him.
“I also started doing CrossFit workouts, sprints and training hard. I’ve been with my coach for two years and he’s like a big brother to me. He knows exactly what I need and when.
He added, “I have seen them stay up all night to plan my schedule. My team has worked really hard for me, and I feel truly blessed to have them with me.”
“Once you reach a certain level, the responsibility increases and everyone’s eyes are on you. Hopefully, I will get some rest after this. I have been on the field continuously for the last two-three years.” He said that he suffered an injury before the Asian Para Games in 2023 and continued to participate in tournaments.
Antil dreamed of becoming a wrestler and was inspired by Olympic bronze medalist Yogeshwar Dutt.
However, his life changed in 2015 when his left leg had to be amputated below the knee in a tractor accident.
Undeterred, Sumit was introduced to para-sports by a fellow athlete from his village in 2017.
Despite the pain and challenges of training with a prosthetic leg, he found his new passion in javelin throw.
Sumit’s tireless dedication under the guidance of coach Naval Singh made him a champion.
The F64 category, in which he competes, is reserved for athletes with lower limb disabilities, including those who use prostheses or have leg length discrepancies.
sleepless nights
Antil said that after facing sleep issues and growing anxiety due to the high expectations of people around him, he is now feeling relaxed.
He said, “I think I haven’t slept properly for three nights. When you are at a certain level and people have certain expectations from you, the nervousness increases.”
“In Tokyo, no one knew me and I didn’t feel much pressure; I could sleep peacefully. But this time, the last 3-4 days have been extremely stressful,” he said.
However, his throw was below his own world record of 73.29m and he looked a bit unhappy with it.
“I’m used to a different synthetic track, here (at Mondotrack) I was sliding, I couldn’t feel the runway with my feet.
“I know my coach is not so happy, but I will do it in the upcoming competitions,” he lamented.
One of a kind: Sangwan
Indian Paralympic Committee vice-president Satya Prakash Sangwan, who is also the mission chief of the Indian contingent here, said he always knew Antil would create history.
“Since 2017, I have seen how hard he works and how humble he has been from day one. I knew from the beginning that he would create history. Athletes like him are rare. You can see how humble he has become after winning gold in Tokyo and here,” he said.
“His dedication to his sport and country is unmatched; he doesn’t get distracted by anything else. I have never seen an athlete who remains so humble and down-to-earth even after achieving so much success. I am really proud of Sumit,” he added.
(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)
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