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Month-long rest helped Gurjar win double medal at World Para Athletics Championships

Sundar hurled the javelin to a distance of 61.22 metres in his sixth attempt, enough to jump to the top of the results table tumbling Sri Lanka's Dinesh Mudiyanselage.

Month-long rest helped Gurjar win double medal at World Para Athletics Championships
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Published: 11 Nov 2019 2:11 PM GMT

A shoulder injury and a month off from training came as a blessing in disguise for Sundar Singh Gurjar as he not only defended his title but became the only second Indian to have a double medal at the World Para Athletics Championships.

Staying in the second place till his fifth attempt, Sundar on Sunday hurled the javelin to a distance of 61.22 metres in his sixth attempt, enough to jump to the top of the results table tumbling Sri Lanka's Dinesh P. Herath Mudiyanselage who led throughout with his 60.59 metre throw in the first attempt.

Ajeet Singh managed 59.46 metres to settle for the bronze, while compatriot Rinku Hooda took the fourth place with a throw of 57.59 metres. Thus, India secured three more slots for Tokyo 2020 Paralympics. Gurjar told Paralympic Committee of India:

I am very happy. It was a relief. I came into this Championships with no training for the last one month. I got the injury in my training and so had to tap my shoulder today. When I was training, I felt the pain. But I was lucky at the finals, I didn’t feel it. I felt my body was well rested. It was a blessing in disguise actually.

“In my last attempt, I knew that I got it there. But never realized that it will be my season best. It was good leap. This will motivate me to go for a medal at the Tokyo 2020 Paralympics,” he added.

A shoulder injury and a month off from training came as a blessing in disguise for Sundar Singh Gurjar
A shoulder injury and a month off from training came as a blessing in disguise for
Sundar Singh Gurjar

Gurjar’s long-time coach Mahavir Saini was a content man after his ward’s stupendous show, which was also the second gold for India at the Championships.

“I always believed in him. I was confident that he will get the gold. If he was completely fit, he would have in fact got a world record.”

Paralympic Committee of India Gursharan Singh congratulated the medallists and said: “Our javelin throwers have always brought laurels to India. Today once again our players showed that they will be the ones to beat at Tokyo 2020. This also shows that we are in the right track.”

“We hope that the suspension on PCI is lifted as per the best interests of Indian Parasport and its athletes. It’s critical time for Para-athletes in view of the Tokyo 2020 Games. Although we are very happy to have the Ministry of Sports and Youth Affairs’ and Sports Authority of India’s support for the Paralympic Movement.”

Ekta Bhyan
Ekta Bhyan booked a spot for India at the Tokyo 2020 Games.

Ekta takes one more Tokyo 2020 quota for India

Earlier in the day, Etka Bhyan got her season best throw of 16.3 metres to finish fourth in the women’s Club Throw F51 final. Bhyan missed out on a medal but booked a spot for India at the Tokyo 2020 Games.

India so far have two gold, one silver and a bronze from this Championships. China leads the medals tally with 27 medals followed by Ukraine (16) and Brazil (12).

On Monday evening, four Indian players will be out in action including medal prospect Yogesh Kathuniya in Men's Discus Throw F56 Final.

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