‘Starting from nursery again’: Navdeep after taking up shot put following exclusion of javelin category from LA28 Paralympics

For an athlete who has spent nearly a decade mastering the javelin, the prospect of switching disciplines at this stage is a significant challenge, but Navdeep says he is enjoying the process of learning a new event.

Updated : Oct 27, 2026 17:44 IST , New Delhi - 4 MINS READ

FILE PHOTO: Navdeep recently won bronze in the men’s F41 javelin throw at the recently concluded Asian Para Games. | Photo Credit: SHIV KUMAR PUSHPAKAR

India’s Paralympic champion Navdeep Singh has appealed for the inclusion of men’s F41 javelin throw in the Los Angeles 2028 Paralympics programme and taken up shot put as a backup, refusing to let uncertainty over his primary event derail his preparations for the next Games.

The 25-year-old, who won bronze in the men’s F41 javelin throw at the recently concluded Asian Para Games in Aichi-Nagoya with an effort of 42.55 metres, said he had started training for shot put after learning that his category would not feature at LA28.

Navdeep, who won gold at the Paris 2024 Paralympics with a personal best of 47.32 metres, has already claimed a shot put gold at the national championships and will now prepare for both disciplines in the hope of keeping his options open.

“As soon as I found out that I could not compete in javelin at LA28, I started preparing for shot put alongside it. I even won a gold medal in shot put at the nationals. Now, as soon as the Asian Games are over, I will prepare for both events,” Navdeep told PTI.

The athlete said he had approached members of the national federation and urged them to appeal to the International Paralympic Committee (IPC), the global governing body of the Paralympic Movement, seeking the inclusion of javelin in the Games programme.

“I spoke to our federation members and told them to put an appeal before the IPC, the body that listens to athletes’ problems. In athletics, we have only one event left, shot put. Apart from that, we don’t have any other event,” he said.

“If athletes in our category are to participate in LA, they will only be able to compete in shot put. At least athletes should have the option to choose between events, as others do. That is why we have made this appeal.”

Navdeep said the inclusion of javelin at next year’s World Championships had given him hope that the event could also find a place in the LA28 programme.

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“The positive response is that we have an event at next year’s World Championships. So we will try to get the event included at LA28 too,” he said.

For an athlete who has spent nearly a decade mastering the javelin, the prospect of switching disciplines at this stage is a significant challenge. Navdeep admitted that the uncertainty had caused some disappointment but said he was enjoying the process of learning a new event.

“I didn’t just start javelin two days ago. I started around 10 years ago. I have been doing one thing for 10 years, and now I have to change it. It feels like I studied from Class 1 to 12 in India and now I am going to another country and sitting in a nursery again,” he said.

“But I feel I have a lot of fun facing challenges. I am really enjoying it, and it feels good that I am learning new things. I am getting better control and doing better things. Change is necessary in life, so I don’t feel bad about it. Having fought this situation, I think it is a little easier for me.”

𝐅𝐫𝐨𝐦 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐌𝐚𝐠𝐚𝐳𝐢𝐧𝐞 Paralympic gold medallist Navdeep Singh has come through financial struggles and societal doubts to claim his place among the best and brightest in javelin throw. @abhisheksainiii ✍️ Read Here ➡️ https://t.co/nX8xMo7mpF https://t.co/yzZFzkm1VE

— Sportstar (@sportstarweb) February 27, 2025

Despite the uncertainty surrounding his primary event, Navdeep believes his performances over the past three years underline his growing consistency. He said his throw of 42.55m in Japan showed progress from the approximately 40 metres he recalled recording at his previous Paralympics.

“I feel good that my consistency has increased. Last time when I participated in the Paralympic Games, I threw around 40 metres, and now I have thrown 42.55 metres. It is good to see the progress and compare performances across events,” he said.

“I feel good that I have given four medals to India in three years, and now I am ready to win more medals in the future.”

Navdeep’s personal best of 47.32m came at the Paris Paralympics, where he was upgraded from silver to gold after Iran’s Sadegh Beit Sayah was disqualified. His bronze at the Asian Para Games, however, showed that he still has work to do to regain the distances that made him a Paralympic champion.