Rinku Hooda snatched the men's javelin F46 gold at the Asian Para Games with a blistering 65.11‑metre throw, edging compatriot Ajeet Singh by just nine centimeters.
Singh took silver with a 65.02‑metre effort, while Indonesia's R Saktyono finished third with 55.30.
After a 13‑day mourning period and a shoulder tear that kept him off the track for 20 days, Hooda delivered the winning throw in the final round, turning the tide in his favor.
“I wanted to win this gold for my mother,” Hooda said, eyes glistening with emotion. “It’s the best tribute I could give.”
From a farming accident that left him single‑armed at age three to bronze in 2018, silver in 2022, and a silver at the 2023 World Championships, Hooda’s journey is a story of relentless perseverance.
Now he turns his sights to the 2028 Los Angeles Paralympics, where a medal would complete his quest.