Track and field stars to watch at New Delhi 2025 World Para Athletics Championships
Expect to see plenty of Sumit Antil, the face of Indian para sport. The reigning Paralympic champion and world record holder in the javelin F64 arrives in New Delhi fresh from his gold in Paris 2024. The 27-year-old already has multiple world titles and remains the man to beat—especially with fervent backing from a raucous home crowd.
He won’t be the only Indian throwing for gold on home turf, however. Mahendra Gurjar catapulted himself into contention with a world record 61.17m in the javelin at the Nottwil Grand Prix in May, and is among the favourites to win the men’s F42 event.
There will also be big hopes for Antil’s compatriot Deepthi Jeevanji, whose surge on the track has been just as compelling. At Kobe 2024, she stormed to the 400m T20 world title in a then-world record 55.07, before adding a Paralympic bronze medal at the Paris 2024 Paralympic Games.
Internationally, few names carry the weight of Markus Rehm. The German long jumper, nicknamed the “Blade Jumper,” has redefined this event over the past decade, collecting five Paralympic titles and pushing the world record to 8.72m.
Another athlete capable of headline dominance is Catherine Debrunner. The Swiss wheelchair racer is renowned for her versatility, having won five gold medals at Paris 2024 across distances ranging from sprints to the marathon. She lowered the T53 100m world record to 15.20 this year, and could go even quicker in New Delhi.