Paris: India continued its strong tradition in javelin throw at the Paris Paralympics 2024 as Ajeet Singh and Sundar Singh Gurjar secured silver and bronze medals in the Men’s Javelin Throw F46 final at Stade de France on Tuesday.
Cuba’s Guillermo Varona Gonzalez, the reigning World Champion, clinched the gold with a personal best throw of 66.14 meters. Gonzalez, who had previously won gold at the World Championships in Kobe, Japan, earlier this year, improved on his fourth-place finish at the Tokyo Paralympics, cementing his status as the world’s best.
Ajeet Singh, a 31-year-old native of Etawah, delivered a stellar performance, achieving a personal best throw of 65.62 meters to claim the silver medal. Ajeet, who had finished eighth at the Tokyo Paralympics in 2021, showed remarkable improvement, securing his place on the podium in Paris.
Sundar Singh Gurjar, the current world record holder and a bronze medalist from the Tokyo Paralympics, added another bronze to his collection with a season-best throw of 64.96 meters. Gurjar, who had been leading ahead of Ajeet for most of the event, relied on his fourth attempt to secure his position.
India’s third representative in the event, Rinku, finished fifth with a season-best throw of 61.65 meters. The 25-year-old, who had finished second behind Gonzalez at the World Championship in Kobe, faced tough competition in a highly competitive field.
The two javelin medals bring India’s total to 18 on Day 6 of the Paralympics. Earlier in the day, Deepthi Jeevanji added to India’s medal tally with a bronze in the Women’s 400m T20 event.
Ajeet Singh’s silver and Sundar Singh Gurjar’s bronze in the F46 javelin throw event underscore India’s growing prowess in para-athletics, continuing the momentum built by previous Paralympic champions.