India's para athlete Mahendra Gurjar sets world record in javelin F42 event in Switzerland

New Delhi, May 26 (PTI) India's Mahendra Gurjar set a world record in the men's javelin F42 category with a throw of 61.17m en route winning gold at the Nottwil World Para Athletics Grand Prix in Switzerland.

The 27-year-old bettered the previous world record of 59.19m set by Brazil's Roberto Floriani Edenilson in 2022.

His world record throw of 61.17m came in the third attempt after 56.11m and 55.51m in his first two throws. His last three throws on Sunday measured 58.54m, 57.25m and 58.07m.

F42 is for field athletes with movement moderately affected in one leg.

Double Paralympics gold medallist and world record holder Sumit Antil also took the top spot in the men's javelin F64 event with a 72.35m effort.

F64 is for field athletes with moderately affected movement in one or both legs or the absence of limbs.

Gurjar, however, competed in a combined event with para athletes of F40, F57, F63 and F64 taking part.

"It was a combined event with para athletes of other classifications competing in it. Gurjar won gold in F42 and also a world record in the same classification," Gurjar's coach Samarjeet Singh Malhi told PTI from Switzerland.

"It is normal practice for para athletes of different classifications competing in a combined event," he added.

In fact, it was Gurjar's second gold of the Grand Prix event as he has also finished on top of podium in the long jump T42 event with an effort of 5.59m on May 23.

"Besides javelin, we have started long jump also. It's his (Gurjar's) first competition in long jump T42 and he will be the Asia number one after this gold," Malhi said.

However, the F42 category did not feature in the 2023 Hangzhou Para Asian Games and 2024 Paris Paralympics. PTI PDS PDS AH AH