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Navdeep Singh secured a gold medal in the men's javelin throw F41 category at the Paris 2024 Paralympics with a new record throw of 47.32 meters on Saturday, marking India's first-ever medal in this category.
Navdeep's throw surpassed the previous Paralympic record of 47.13 meters, set by Sun Pengxiang of China at the Tokyo 2020 Games. Sadegh Beit Sayah of Iran initially surpassed Navdeep's mark with a throw of 47.64 meters, but he was later disqualified for violating rules related to unsporting conduct.
"I didn't expect to throw that far, to be honest," Navdeep admitted. "My target was slightly lower, but I believed in my coach and hoped to perform well. I am delighted it went well."
"My first throw was a foul, but my coach encouraged me, saying it was a good attempt. So, I aimed to improve in my subsequent throws. Two of them measured over 45 meters. I hope to surpass that in the future."
Although Navdeep had two more attempts to reclaim the top spot, he couldn't improve his distance. However, with the Iranian athlete's disqualification, his initial record stood.
Sun Pengxiang, the defending champion, took the silver with a best throw of 44.72 meters, having previously won gold at the World Para Athletics Championships earlier this year. Wildan Nukhailawi of Iraq earned the bronze with a throw of 40.46 meters.
The F41 category is designated for athletes with short stature. Navdeep had narrowly missed the podium at the Tokyo 2020 Paralympics, finishing fourth, and also placed fourth at the Asian Para Games in Hangzhou last year.
"This medal is very significant for me," Navdeep said. "After years of effort and waiting, I have finally achieved a Paralympic podium finish. I came in fourth at both the Tokyo 2020 Games and the Hangzhou Asian Games. Finally, a podium finish has come. Joy has finally arrived."
Earlier in 2024, Navdeep won a bronze medal at the World Para Athletics Championships, marking a turnaround in his career.
This medal marks India's 29th at the ongoing Paralympics and its 17th in para athletics. In other javelin throw categories, Sumit Antil won gold in the F64 class, while Ajeet Singh and Sundar Singh Gurjar won silver and bronze, respectively, in the F46 class.