Paris 2024 Paralympics: Sumit Antil, Bhagyashri Jadhav named Indian flag-bearers for Opening Ceremony
Sumit Antil is the reigning javelin throw Paralympic champion in the men’s F64 category.
Indian para athletes Sumit Antil and Bhagyashri Jadhav have been named joint flag-bearers for the Paris 2024 Paralympics Opening Ceremony, which is set to be held on August 28.
The announcement was made at the send-off event for the Indian Paralympics contingent on Friday.
Sumit Antil is the reigning javelin throw Paralympic champion in the men’s F64 category from Tokyo 2020. He is also a two-time world champion and holds the world record in the category.
The 25-year-old Sumit first set the world record at the 2023 World Championships where he won the gold medal with a 70.83m throw. He bettered his own record at the Asian Para Games in Hangzhou last year after achieving a mark of 73.29m to clinch the gold medal.
Bhagyashri Jadhav, on the other hand, won the silver medal in women’s shot put event in the F34 category at the Asian Para Games. She had also competed at Tokyo 2020 where she entered the final before finishing seventh.
The 39-year-old Bhagyashri also won a silver medal in women’s F34 shot put at the World Para Athletics Championships in May.
With 84 athletes, India will be sending their largest Paralympics contingent to Paris 2024 to compete across 12 sports. At the Tokyo 2020 Paralympics, India had sent 54 athletes.
India will also compete in the sports of para cycling, para rowing and blind judo for the first time in Paris.
The Paris 2024 Paralympics will begin on August 28 and will conclude on September 8.