Paris 23: Super Sumit adds javelin world title to Paralympic gold

India’s Paralympic champion Sumit Antil hit new heights with his winning throws in the men’s javelin F64 on Thursday’s (13 July) morning session at the Paris 23 Para Athletics World Championships. 

Another Paralympic champion, Brazil’s Yeltsin Jacques, won the dramatic final of the men’s 1500m T11, which saw his Brazilian teammate and reigning world champion Julio Agripino pull up as the race began.

The vision impaired athlete’s win kicked off the morning session on day six at the Charlety Stadium that saw nine titles handed out and four new world records. Among them was Colombia’s sprint star Karen Palomeque who picked up her second world record and gold on the track. 

Tunisia’s Yassine Guenichi also set a new world record en route to his men’s shot put F36 gold (16.86m). And wheelchair racer Switzerland’s Catherine Debrunner collected her third gold of the championships.

Jacques, who bagged bronze in the men’s 5000m, extended his lead throughout the 1500m race before crossing the line with his guide Edelson de Avila in a championship record time of 4:03.83. The 31-year-old also broke the world record at the Tokyo 2020 Paralympic Games. Agripino, who usually heads straight to the front of the pack, made a shock exit a few strides into the race. 

The battle was on for silver and bronze, which Japan’s Kenya Karasawa’s won to claim the second spot in a season’s best time of 4:08.26. The 29-year-old won gold in the 5000m T11 earlier in the week. Poland’s Aleksander Kossakowski followed behind in a lifetime best of 4:08.34. 

Gold for Cuba

There were more records broken out on the field with India's Sumit upgrading the silver he won at the last edition in Dubai in 2019 with a gold with his first-round throw of 70.83m, which put him into the history books in the men’s javelin F64. 

All but the missed second attempt would have given Sumit the victory in Paris. Australia’s Michael Burian claimed silver and a season’s best in 65.21m. Sri Lanka’s Dulan Kodithuwakku took the bronze.

In the second men’s 1500m race Tunisia’s Rouay Jebabli had got his tactics spot on to claim the title in 4:00.23. He punched the air with delight after successfully beating off a talented and experienced field, which included Spain’s Yassine Ouhdadi el Ataby, who won silver to add to the gold he collected in the 5000m T13 in 4:00. 91. Bronze went to Algeria’s Abdellatif Baka, the Paralympic champion in Rio 2016. 

Debrunner put on another masterclass in wheelchair racing in the T54 class when she won her third gold medal of the championships in the 1500m in a championship record time of 3:22.02. The 28-year-old also claimed titles in the 800m (T53) and 5000m. 

The expert sprinter had added a big injection of pace to the race as she powered around the track closely pursued by her Swiss teammate Manuela Schaer. The 38-year-old, who collected her second silver of the week in 3:22.30. The Paralympic silver medallist also won gold in the 800m (T54). Zhaoqian Zhou, China’s reigning Paralympic champion, took the bronze (3:22.52).

It has been a brilliant championship for another track athlete. Colombia’s Palomeque added gold to her victory in the women’s 400m T37 when she won the 100m T37 and smashed the world record she had set a month earlier in 12.82. She had also set a new world record in the 400m.

The jubilant 29-year-old dethroned China’s reigning 100m Paralympic and world champion Xiaoyan Wen, who finished in bronze in a season’s best time of 13.03. USA’s Jaleen Roberts, the silver medallist at Tokyo 2020, took home another silver in 12.94.

There was more thrilling action out on the field in the men’s long jump T47 when Cuba’s Robiel Sol Cervantes dethroned China’s reigning world champion Hao Wang to claim the title in a championship record jump of 7.63m. Wang finished in fifth. The top of the leaderboard changed several times during the competition with USA’s Roderick Townsend hoping to add another gold medal to the one he claimed in the men’s high jump T47, but he took home the silver and a season’s best in 7.31m.

Latvia’s Diana Krumina won gold and set a season’s best in the women’s javelin F56 in 25.81m. It was her second medal of the championships. The 37-year-old also won bronze in the discus thow F55. 

China’s Liangmin also scored big in the women’s discus F11 with her throw of 38.57. The Paralympic champion beat the reigning world champion, Italy’s Assunta Legnante to claim the title. Assunta claimed the bronze and a season’s best in 36.52m. Liangmin’s compatriot Enhui Xue was second in 37.74m.

The Paris 2023 Para Athletics World Championships will be streamed live on the World Para Athletics Facebook page with geo-blocking restrictions in certain territories. Here is where to watch!

Complete schedule, results and all medallists can be found here.