[Exclusive] "It took me one throw and I knew I've won gold" - Sumit Antil opens up on defending Paralympics title with his triumphant throw

Sumit Antil is a living embodiment of what it must feel for an athlete to have their nation's flag fly high in glory. While most athletes yearn to live this dream at least once in their life, Sumit is fortunate to have lived it twice. The para-javelin thrower won a second consecutive Paralympic gold at Paris Paralympics 2024 with a new Paralympic record of 70.59m.

When this 26-year-old star speaks, one can decipher why he is so confident as an athlete. For Sumit Antil, his first throw was enough to give him the belief that he is bringing home the coveted gold from Paris. Antil recently interacted with Sportskeeda on the sidelines of the felicitation ceremony of India's triumphant Paralympians in Delhi.

"It took me my first throw and I knew that I am winning gold. That 69.11 distance gave me that belief that I have defended my title. I also had it in my head that even if an any competitor breaches the 70m mark, I will still go out and overcome that to win gold," said Sumit.

The young star was overwhelmed with emotions while talking about the moment when he stood on that podium. He expressed feeling immense pride watching the 'tiranga' go up after his heroics.

"What do I even say!? It's the brightest moment for an athlete to see our tiranga flying high at a such a prestigious stage. To know you have played a part in that is a surreal emotion. I'm amongst a few such fortunate people who've been able to live this moment not once but twice," he said.

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"When you perform well consistently, the confidence will always be there in an athlete" - Sumit Antil shares the secret behind his continued success

When an athlete is marching through uncharted territories the way Sumit Antil is, they are surely doing something right. The Haryana-born star talked about what it takes for a person to consistently perform in a high-pressure environment.

"When you perform well consistently, the confidence will always be there in an athlete. I was just trying to push my limits and break records and that is what resulted in a two-time Paralympic record," he said.

While Antil did feel the pressure of expectations before the competition, it all turned into mere white noise for him once he took the field. He shared how he overcame nerves to embark on a journey towards excellence.

"Once I got to Paris, I read all the news articles written on me which surely made me feel the heat and pressure of expectations. But, once I got on to the field, it was all gone. Then it was just me and the target in sight and that is what took me to the podium," concluded a spirited Sumit.

Sumit Antil is well on his path to becoming one of India's greatest para-sporting legends. The talented thrower has shown enough maturity to instill much belief in his supporters that his journey to greatness has just begun.