Kumar Nitesh
REUTERS/Jennifer Lorenzini
Star javelin thrower Sumit Antil on Monday became the first Indian man and second from the country to defend the title as he won the F64 category gold with Paralympics record of 70.59m at the Paris Games.
The 26-year-old world record holder from Sonipat in Haryana bettered his own earlier Paralympic record of 68.55m set in Tokyo while winning the gold three years ago. His world record stands at 73.29m.
Antil is the second Indian overall after shooter Avani Lekhara to defend Paralympics title.
F64 category is for athletes with problems in the lower limb(s), those competing with prosthesis or affected by leg length difference.
Earlier in the day, Kumar Nitesh clinched his maiden gold medal at the Paralympics, defeating Great Britain’s Daniel Bethell in a gripping men’s singles SL3 badminton final.
The 29-year-old from Haryana showcased incredible resilience and tactical brilliance, overcoming Tokyo silver medallist Bethell in a nail-biting contest that lasted an hour and 20 minutes, with the final scoreline reading 21-14, 18-21, 23-21.
Competing in the SL3 category, which is reserved for players with severe lower limb disabilities and requires to play on a half-width court, Nitesh’s journey to gold was anything but ordinary. At the age of 15, he lost his left leg in a train accident in Visakhapatnam in 2009. However, this devastating event didn’t crush his spirit.
His victory on Monday not only marked a personal triumph but also ensured that India retained the SL3 gold, which Pramod Bhagat had won three years ago when badminton made its Paralympic debut in Tokyo.
The final was a test of endurance and skill, with both players engaging in excruciating rallies, including a nearly three-minute rally of 122 shots in the opening game.
Nitesh’s sharp reverse hits, delicate drop shots, and polished net play kept Bethell on his toes throughout the match.
The opening game saw Nitesh trailing 6-9 at one point, but his rock-solid defense allowed him to claw back, entering the break with a two-point cushion. He then surged ahead to an 18-14 lead, eventually sealing the game when Bethell sent the shuttle wide. Nitesh could have won in straight games as he was leading 14-12 at one stage but Bethell staged a comeback, forcing the contest to a decider.
In the final game, the tension was palpable as the two athletes matched each other point for point, moving from 8-8 to 19-19. Nitesh had the first championship point at 20-19 but couldn’t convert it.
Bethell, too, had a match point at 21-20 but faltered at the net. Finally, the Indian seized his opportunity, taking the match after Bethell hit long and wide.
Suhas sizzles
Karnataka-born Suhas Yathiraj (in pic) secured his second successive Paralympics silver medal in men’s singles SL4 after going down in straight games to favourite Lucas Mazur of France in the final. The 41-year-old Suhas, who resides in Uttar Pradesh, was no match for the formidable French, losing 9-21 13-21 in a lop-sided summit clash.
Also, Indian shuttlers Thulasimathi Murugesan and Manisha Ramadass signed off with maiden silver and bronze medals respectively in women’s singles SU5 category.
The 22-year-old Thulasimathi, the number one seed, put up a fight before going down 17-21, 10-21 against China’s defending champion Yang Qiuxia in the final.
Second seed Manisha, playing at the adjacent court, outplayed Denmark’s Cathrine Rosengren, seeded third, 21-12, 21-8 to claim the bronze medal.
Later, Yogesh Kathuniya clinched his second consecutive silver medal in men’s discus throw F-56 event with a season’s best effort 42.22m.
The Indian duo of Sheetal Devi and Rakesh Kumar staged a remarkable comeback after the heartbreak in the semifinals to claim the bronze medal with a close 156-155 win over Italy’s Eleonora Sarti and Matteo Bonacina in the mixed team compound archery competition.
Yogesh Kathuniya
PTI