Javelin thrower Sundar Singh Gurjar overcame a shoulder injury to claim the second gold for India with a season best performance at the 2019 World Para Athletics Championships in Dubai on Sunday.
In doing so, Gurjar not only defended his London Worlds 2017 title but also became only the second Indian to have clinched two World Championships medals after Devendra Jhajharia’s gold and silver in the 2013 Lyon and 2015 Doha Championships.
Gurjar wasn’t the only Indian to win a medal as Ajeet Singh managed a throw of 59.46 metres to claim bronze. Rinku Rinku took the fourth place with a throw of 57.59 metres. Thus, India secured three more slots for Tokyo 2020 Paralympics.
In second place till his fifth attempt, Gurjar 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 60.59m throw in the first attempt.
India now have two gold medals, one silver and a bronze from these Championships. On Monday, six Indian players will be in action, including Ekta Bhyan and Kashish Lakra in the women’s club throw F51 final and Yogesh Kathuniya in the men’s discus throw F56 Final.