As a busy year for sports approaches the finish line, India’s top players pause and reflect; Tell stories of their podium high, shattered bodies and shattered dreams. In a particular series, some look back with fondness, some with regret. But everyone hopes – and wishes – for a better 2025.
About 20-25 days before the all important Para World Championships in May this year, I was recovering from a back injury and it was so bad that I was afraid to even hold a javelin.
My hand trembled at the thought of holding it. It hurt when I held it and even more when I dropped it.
You can imagine how disappointed I was. You train for an entire Paralympic cycle and suddenly, you’re afraid to hold the equipment that will bring you fame and glory.
When you have an injury, you lose the support of those muscles in your throw. That load shifts to another muscle and hinders your technique.
I was more afraid of a recurrence of the injury. The simple thought of the pain caused by the injury was enough to scare me. My hands must have started shaking when I reached the edge of the spear.
This year was important because I had to defend my title at both the Para World Championships and the Paralympics, and it was on my mind. People had high expectations from me, and I didn’t want to disappoint them. In a way, it put a lot of pressure on me.
I had a great support system but this injury was weighing me down. It became more of a mental battle. That’s when I knew I had to do something to improve my thought process and prepare for competitions.
And so, I started talking only to a limited number. I have met only those who motivate me. That was really important. I also watch my old videos to remind myself that I am a Paralympic champion. It really moved me.
When I changed my surroundings, I didn’t feel hurt. Suddenly I became more confident. It definitely changed me as a person.
Defending the title
I’ve never felt as much pressure as I do this year when I play the Paralympics for the first time in 2021. I felt nervous at the time but when you go into a big tournament as the defending champion, there is a lot of pressure. Everyone makes you feel like you’re the defending champion. There are articles written about you and more than anything, you don’t want to disappoint people. More than anything, you don’t want to let your team down either.
When I entered the arena, they announced my name and went after the ‘defending champion’. Fortunately, instead of making me anxious, it totally relieved me. I stopped thinking too much, just focused on what I was training for, and was able to concentrate.
Everything seemed to fall silent around me. I had a first throw of 69.11m breaking the Tokyo record (68.55m). Second was also good – 70.59m. When the javelin flew out of my hand, I knew it was a special throw.
I was very happy to defend the gold medal and felt a huge relief because of the expectations on my shoulders. For a para-athlete, it’s tough physically and mentally but going from a gold medal at the World Para Championships to a gold medal at the Paralympics took a lot for me.
After arriving home from Paris, everything was forgotten. There was a festival and pomp in my village.
The real celebrations though were with my friends. We enjoy peace and chat only about mundane things. More importantly, they don’t treat me differently. Having friends who treat you like a normal person is also a blessing for which I am very grateful.
It may be over for the year but I still want to achieve more in my career. 2025 is going to be very exciting as Delhi is going to host the World Para Championship. This is the only major competition and it is happening in my own country.
Now, I’m not afraid of the ‘defending champion’ tag. I am going to train extremely hard because I want to make a throw that will break all records and be remembered for many years to come.
– said to Anil Dias
Looking forward to 2025:
After a milestone year, Sumit Antill has a chance to make 2025 special as he competes twice on home soil, including the World Championships. India’s ambition to become a sports destination for the next decade begins with the Para-Athletics World Championships in New Delhi. In front of a home crowd, Antilles will have the chance to do something he couldn’t do at the Paris Paralympics – better his own world record. Before the Worlds, he will compete in the Grand Prix tournament in New Delhi in March, which will serve as a test event.
Key Dates: Para-Athletics World Championships, September 26 to October 5, JLN Stadium, New Delhi
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