Navdeep Singh achieved a remarkable feat by winning the gold medal in the men’s javelin throw F41 class at the Paris 2024 Paralympics, setting a new event record with an impressive throw of 47.32 meters on Saturday. This victory marks India’s inaugural medal in this category at the Paralympic Games.

Navdeep’s record-breaking throw surpassed the previous Olympic benchmark of 47.13 meters, established by Sun Pengxiang from the People’s Republic of China at the Tokyo 2020 Paralympics. In a surprising turn of events, Sadegh Beit Sayah from the Islamic Republic of Iran initially outshone Navdeep with a throw of 47.64 meters in his second-to-last attempt; however, he was subsequently disqualified.

Expressing his thoughts on the competition, Navdeep remarked, “I thought I could do better and I tried. Three of my six throws went beyond 45 meters, but I hope to do better next time.” As a left-handed thrower, he had two additional chances to reclaim the lead but fell short. Ultimately, the disqualification of Beit Sayah solidified Navdeep’s position atop the podium.

“I did not expect to win a medal. My target was lower, but I had hopes, so it went well. After a disappointing foul on my first throw, my coach reassured me about the effort, and I improved in the subsequent trials,” Navdeep elaborated.

The defending champion, Sun Pengxiang, took home the silver medal with a top throw of 44.72 meters, while Wildan Nukhailawi from Iraq secured the bronze at 40.46 meters. It is noteworthy that athletes competing in the F41 sport class typically exhibit short stature.

Navdeep previously finished fourth during the Tokyo 2020 Paralympics and again faced a similar outcome at the Asian Para Games in Hangzhou last year. The significance of this medal is profound for him, particularly after his past challenges. “There is a saying, ‘an athlete either wins or he learns.’ I focused on improving my performance after those fourth-place finishes. Mental calmness became paramount for me, as my thoughts often felt chaotic during prior competitions,” he noted.

In a commendable comeback, the 23-year-old athlete secured a bronze medal at the World Para Athletics championship earlier in 2024 before his ultimate triumph in Paris.

This achievement contributes to India’s growing success at the ongoing Paralympic Games, making it the nation’s 29th medal overall and the 17th in para athletics. In related events, Sumit Antil also claimed a gold medal in the F64 class javelin throw, while Ajeet Singh and Sundar Singh Gurjar respectively earned silver and bronze medals in the F46 classification.

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