Navdeep Singh clinched gold in the men’s javelin throw F41 class at the Paris 2024 Paralympics, setting a new Paralympic record with a throw of 47.32 meters. This historic achievement marked India’s first-ever medal in this category.
Navdeep’s record-breaking throw surpassed the previous Paralympic record of 47.13 meters, held by China’s Sun Pengxiang at Tokyo 2020. Although Iranian athlete Sadegh Beit Sayah initially exceeded Navdeep’s distance with a 47.64-meter throw, he was later disqualified for unsporting conduct, securing Navdeep’s gold.
“I didn’t expect to throw that far,” Navdeep admitted. “My goal was a bit less, but I trusted my coach and am thrilled with the result.” Despite a foul on his first throw, Navdeep improved with subsequent attempts, achieving over 45 meters on two occasions. He remains hopeful for even better performances in the future.
Sun Pengxiang, the defending champion, settled for silver with a throw of 44.72 meters, while Iraq’s Wildan Nukhailawi won bronze with 40.46 meters.
After placing fourth in the Tokyo 2020 Paralympics and at the Hangzhou Asian Para Games, Navdeep finally reached the podium. “This medal means a lot to me,” he said, reflecting on his years of hard work. “It’s a dream come true.”
Navdeep’s success contributes to India’s 29th medal at the Paralympics and 17th in para athletics. In related events, Sumit Antil won gold in the F64 javelin throw, while Ajeet Singh and Sundar Singh Gurjar earned silver and bronze in the F46 class.
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