India's Navdeep Singh made history at the Paris Paralympics after his silver medal in the men’s javelin throw F41 category was upgraded to gold following the disqualification of Iran's Sadegh Beit Sayah. Sayah, who initially won with a new Paralympic record of 47.64m, was disqualified for repeatedly displaying an objectionable flag, violating International Paralympic Committee rules against political gestures.
This marks India’s first-ever gold medal in the men’s javelin F41 category. Singh, a 23-year-old para-athlete from Haryana, produced a personal best throw of 47.32m, upstaging China’s world record holder Sun Pengxiang, who took the silver with a 44.72m throw. Iraq's Nukhailawi Wildan claimed bronze with a 40.46m effort.
Singh, who competes in the F41 classification for athletes of short stature, initially secured silver after his third throw of 47.32m broke the Paralympic record, only to be briefly surpassed by Sayah’s 47.64m throw. However, Sayah’s disqualification due to unsporting conduct led to Navdeep’s unprecedented gold.
Born in Panipat, Haryana, Singh has overcome significant challenges throughout his life. Inspired by his father, a national-level wrestler, he turned to athletics, overcoming physical limitations and societal expectations. His career took off in 2017 when he won gold at the Asian Youth Para Games. He later claimed five national golds and an international gold at the 2021 Fazza International Championship in Dubai.
Despite finishing fourth at both the Tokyo Paralympics and the 2022 Asian Para Games, Singh rebounded by winning bronze at the World Para Athletics Championships in Kobe, Japan, earlier this year. Currently serving as an inspector in the Income Tax Department in Bengaluru, his Paris Paralympics gold solidifies his remarkable journey from adversity to international acclaim.
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