Sumit Antil (born 7 June 1998) is an Indian para-athlete who competes in the javelin throw in the F64 class. He won gold at the Tokyo Paralympics in 2021 and again at the Paris Paralympics in 2024, becoming the first Indian man to defend a Paralympic title. He has broken the world record in his event several times and has also won three world championship titles. A promising wrestler as a boy, he lost his left leg below the knee in a road accident at 17.
Quick Facts
| Full name | Sumit Antil |
| Born | 7 June 1998, Khewra, Sonipat district, Haryana, India |
| Age | 28 |
| Sport | Para athletics (javelin throw) |
| Classification | F64 |
| Paralympic medals | Gold (Tokyo 2020), gold (Paris 2024) |
| Education | Ramjas College, University of Delhi |
| Honours | Khel Ratna (2021), Padma Shri (2022) |
Early Life
Antil was born in Khewra village in Sonipat, a district known for producing wrestlers. His father, Ram Kumar Antil, served in the Indian Air Force and died of illness when Sumit was seven. His mother, Nirmala Devi, raised him and his three sisters. Tall and strong, he trained as a wrestler and hoped to join the army.
Accident
On 5 January 2015, when he was 17 and returning from tuition on his motorcycle, a tractor-trolley hit him and ran over his leg. Doctors amputated his left leg below the knee. After months in hospital he was fitted with a prosthetic leg at a rehabilitation centre in Pune.
Sporting Career
While studying at Ramjas College in Delhi, Antil was introduced to para sport by a fellow athlete from his village. He began training in javelin in 2017. The prosthetic leg caused pain and bleeding as he learned the run-up, but he improved quickly. For a time he trained and competed alongside able-bodied throwers, including the Olympic champion Neeraj Chopra. He won silver at the 2019 World Para Athletics Championships in Dubai.
At the Tokyo Paralympics on 30 August 2021 Antil broke the world record three times in a single competition, finishing with 68.55 metres to win the F64 gold.
He won the world title in Paris in 2023 and in Kobe in 2024, and gold at the Asian Para Games in Hangzhou in 2023 with a world record of 73.29 metres. At the Paris Paralympics on 2 September 2024 he threw a Games record 70.59 metres to keep his title. He was one of India’s flag-bearers at the opening ceremony. In 2025 he won a third world title at the championships in New Delhi.
Awards and Honours
Major Medals
Frequently Asked Questions
When and where was Sumit Antil born?
Sumit Antil was born on 7 June 1998 in Khewra, Sonipat district, Haryana, India and is 28 years old.
What honours has Sumit Antil received?
Khel Ratna (2021), Padma Shri (2022).
Featured image: Sumit Antil, the two-time Paralympic javelin champion, at a sports event, December 2019. Photo by Wikedit00, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
