'Sweet' sacrifice and sleepless nights: Sumit Antil on defending Paralympic gold despite back injury

Paris: Carrying a back injury for more than a year, history-making Indian javelin thrower Sumit Antil's path to Paralympic glory was paved with a 'sweet sacrifice' and several sleepless nights.

The 26-year-old faced a tough choice in the build-up to the Paralympics -- give up his favourite sweets or put his career at risk due to rapid weight gain and a back injury that troubled him before the Asian Para Games in Hangzhou last year where he won a gold.

On the advice of his physio, Antil grudgingly gave up sweets, followed a strict training regimen and shed around 12 kilograms in just two months.

His sacrifice paid off on Monday when the Sonepat-lad became the first Indian man and only the second Indian overall to defend a Paralympic title, clinching gold in the F64 category with a record throw of 70.59m.

This new mark bettered his previous Paralympic best of 68.55m set in Tokyo Paralympics three years ago.

"I've reduced around 10-12 kilos. My physio, Vipin Bhai, told me that the weight was putting pressure on my spine. So, I cut out sweets, which are my favourite, and focused on eating right," he revealed in a media interaction.

Fixing his back by taking adequate rest is the first thing Antil will do after his return to India.

"I was not at 100 per cent. I had to take a painkiller before my throw, and even during training, I haven't been at my best. The first priority is to fix my back after we return to India because rest is crucial with the type of injury I have.

"With competitions so close, I haven't been able to rest properly and have constantly taken precautions to protect my back. I've been careful with every movement to avoid aggravating it further," he added.

He also thanked his coach (Arun Kumar) for always knowing what he needed, staying up nights to plan his schedule, and putting in tremendous effort. He said his coach had worked even harder than him.

"I also started doing CrossFit workouts, sprints, and trained hard. It's been two years with my coach, and he's like an elder brother to me. He knows exactly what I need and when I need it.

"I've seen him stay up nights to plan my schedule. My team has put in a tremendous effort for me, and I feel truly blessed to have them," he said.

"Once you reach a certain level, the responsibility on you increases, and all eyes are on you. Hopefully, after this, I'll finally get some rest. I've been continuously on the field for the past two to three years." He said he sustained the injury in 2023 ahead of the Asian Para Games and kept competing in back-to-back tournaments.

Antil dreamed of becoming a wrestler and was inspired by Olympic bronze-medallist Yogeshwar Dutt.

However, in 2015, his life changed when a tractor accident led to the amputation of his left leg below the knee.

Undeterred, Sumit was introduced to para-sports in 2017 by a fellow athlete from his village.

Despite the pain and challenges of training with a prosthetic leg, he found his new passion in javelin.

Under coach Naval Singh’s guidance, Sumit's relentless dedication transformed him into a champion.

The F64 category, in which he competes, is designated for athletes with lower limb impairments, including those using prosthetics or dealing with leg length discrepancies.

Sleepless nights

Antil said after struggling with sleep and increased nervousness due to the high expectations of people around him, he was now feeling relaxed.

"I think it's been three nights since I've had proper sleep. When you're at a certain level, and people expect things from you, the nervousness increases," he said.

"Back in Tokyo, no one knew me, and I didn't feel that much pressure; I could sleep peacefully. But this time, the last 3-4 days have been extremely stressful," he revealed.

However, his throw was short of his own world record of 73.29m and he seemed a tad unhappy with this.

"I'm used to a different synthetic track, here (on Mondotrack) I was slipping, I was not able to feel the runway with my legs.

"I know my coach is not that happy but will do it in coming competitions," he rued.

One of a kind: Sangwan

Paralympic Committee of India vice president Satya Prakash Sangwan, who is also the chef de mission for the Indian squad here, said he always knew Antil would script history.

"Since 2017, I've seen how hard he works and how down-to-earth he has been from day one. I knew right from the start that he would make history. Athletes like him are rare. You can see how humble he is from winning gold in Tokyo and here as well," he said.

"His dedication to his sport and his country is unmatched; he doesn't get distracted by anything else. I've never come across an athlete who remains so humble and down-to-earth, even after achieving so much success. I am truly proud of Sumit," he added.