With the World Para Athletics Championships set to begin on Saturday, a look at the top names who will carry the home hopes at the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium.
Sumit Antil- Javelin Throw F64
Easily the most recognisable among the 73 Indians competing in the mega event, Sumit is a two-time Paralympic gold medallist in men’s javelin throw F64. He triumphed at Tokyo 2020 with a 68.55m throw and improved upon it at Paris 2024 with a record-breaking 70.59m effort. He has broken the world record six times between 2019 and 2023.
Praveen Kumar – High Jump T64
The Uttar Pradesh lad has become a trailblazer in high jump with a silver on debut at the Tokyo 2020 Paralympics and a gold medal at the 2024 Paris edition. He would aim to better his personal best of 2.08m recorded in the French capital last year.
Preethi Pal – 100m and 200m T35
At the 2024 Paris Paralympics, Preethi Pal became the first-ever Indian woman to win a medal in track events. She first claimed a bronze in the 100m T35 and followed it with another one in the 200m T35 event. She usually trains at the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium, and would be in familiar surroundings at the World Championships.
Simran Sharma – 100m and 200m T12
Simran Sharma shot to fame at the Asian Para Games 2022 with two silver medals in 100m and 200m events. She followed it up with a bronze at the 2024 Paris Paralympics. She will be defending her 200m T12 event title from the 2024 edition.
Navdeep Singh- Javelin Throw F41
The javelin thrower shot to fame after winning the gold medal in the F44 classification at the 2024 Paris Paralympics. He has been a consistent performer since then and will look to improve upon his bronze from the last edition in front of the home crowd.
© The Indian Express Pvt Ltd
