Navdeep and Arvind win gold to secure Tokyo Paralympic Games quotas

Para-athletes Navdeep and Arvind secured quotas for the upcoming Tokyo Paralympic Games as India’s gold medal count increased to nine after the third day of competition at the 12th Fazza International Athletics World Grand Prix.

Overall, India has been awarded 17 medals, including nine gold, four of them on Friday.

The day was lit up by brilliant shows from Indian male javelin throwers, reigning world champion Sandeep Chaudhary (F44), Ajeet Singh (F46) and Navdeep (F41), later joined by Pranav Prashant Desai with a yellow metal in 200m Male F64. .

However, world champion javelin thrower Sundar Singh Gurjar (F46) had to settle for a bronze.

Arvind achieved the Minimum Qualifying Standard with a distance of 14.05 m in the F35 / 36 men’s shot put final to reserve a spot at the Tokyo Paralympic Games. He finished fifth in the event.

Navdeep, whose first international event was the 2017 Asian Youth Para Games, produced a brilliant 43.58m throw in his third attempt to take gold in the men’s F41 javelin event and secure a listing for the upcoming Paralympic Games. Anas Alhosani of the UAE (6.96m) finished second.

“I felt confident with my launch today. My first pitch wasn’t very good, but then I tried to focus and hit a good pitch. Sandeep bhaiya and Navdeep Sir have been helping me with my technique at JN Stadium in New Delhi, ”said Navdeep.

“I am very happy to also secure a quota. I want to win a medal at the Tokyo Paralympic Games now, ”he added.

In the F41 classification, athletes with short stature compete, while the F35 / 36 is for those who are more affected in the legs than in the arms, but who may also have a significant disability in the coordination of the arm that does not throw.

In the men’s 38 / F42 / F44 / 63/64 javelin, Chaudhary threw the javelin 61.22 meters to win gold, though it was far less than his world record effort of 66.18 meters at the 2019 Dubai World Cup. on the same ground.

He was better than Luis Fernan Lucumi Villegas of Columbia (54.95m), who set a new American record, and Chaminda Hetti Arachchige of Sri Lanka (56.34m).

“It’s a nice feeling to be back on one of my favorite terrain. My body felt good to compete after a long time. But I was hoping to get the best of me today. However, opening the season with more than 61 meters distance is not bad at all, ”said Chaudhary.

“In the coming months, it will be more about following the process and staying fit before starting our final preparation for Tokyo 2020,” added Chaudhary.

Ajeet Singh sent the spear 58.76m to finish ahead of Sri Lanka’s Gamini Ketawala (58.55m) and fellow Indian Gurjar (57.74m) in the men’s F46 javelin final.

For Ajeet, this was his third international medal in the third competition.

“I am very happy to compete in an international event after a long time. But I’m not very satisfied with my performance today. He was hoping to throw at least 58 meters. I will go back and work on my technique now, ”Ajit said.

Later, Pranav Prasant Desai added India’s fourth gold medal by clocking 24.96 seconds in the men’s 200 meters T64 to finish ahead of Thailand (25.60) and Rufat Khabibullin of Kazakastan (28.86 seconds).

Athletes in the 38 / F42 / F44 / 63/64 category are affected by one or more of the musculoskeletal deficiencies of limb deficiency, leg length difference, decreased muscle power or impaired passive range of motion.

The third day of competition also saw Italian teenager Ambra Sabatini setting a new world record en route to gold in the women’s final T62 / 63 / 64. She clocked 14.59 seconds.

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