India takes gold-silver in para javelin

In a remarkable display of grit and determination, India’s Rinku Hooda upstaged reigning world record holder Sundar Singh Gurjar to win the men’s F46 javelin throw gold at the World Para Athletics Championships in New Delhi on Monday. The 26-year-old, competing in front of a home crowd for the first time, produced a career-best effort of 66.37m to secure his maiden world title and lead an Indian 1-2 finish.

Gurjar, one of the most decorated para-athletes in the discipline, had to settle for silver with a throw of 64.76m, while Cuban Guillermo Varona Gonzalez claimed bronze at 63.34m. Another Indian, Ajeet Singh, narrowly missed the podium, finishing fourth with 61.77m.

The F46 category is reserved for athletes with arm deficiency, impaired muscle power or restricted range of movement in the upper limbs, all competing in standing position.

“This is my first competition in India and I felt a special energy on the ground. Today everything clicked for me. It was truly my day,” Hooda said after his win, visibly moved by the support from the local crowd.

Hooda’s journey has been nothing short of inspirational. Born into a farming family in Haryana’s Rohtak district, he lost his left arm in a paddy-sowing machine accident as a child. From that setback, he built a career marked by persistence winning bronze at the 2018 Asian Para Games and silver medals at both the 2023 World Championships and Asian Para Games, before finally striking gold on home soil.

The victory pushed India’s overall medal tally to two gold, two silver and one bronze, lifting the team to sixth position on the table. China leads with four golds, followed closely by Brazil, Poland, Switzerland and the Netherlands.

Earlier in the day, Neutral Paralympic Athlete Denis Gnezdilov stole headlines by breaking the men’s shot put F40 world record twice, winning gold with a mammoth 11.92m throw. Poland also enjoyed a strong outing, claiming two golds including a championship record in the men’s shot put F53 event.

For India, Dayawanti produced another highlight by setting a new Asian record of 27.94m in the women’s discus throw F64 final, though it was only enough for a fourth-place finish.

With three days gone, India’s para-athletes have shown consistency and spirit, and Hooda’s golden throw has given the contingent a timely boost in their hunt for further podium finishes.