Budapest: Neeraj Chopra needed just one big throw to qualify for 2024 Paris Olympics and the World Championships javelin throw final, pulling off a commendable first-attempt of 88.77m here Friday. More importantly, two other Indians joined him in the final. They are DP Manu with a throw of 81.31m and Odisha’s Kishore Jena who threw the spear to a distance of 80.55m. This is the first time that three Indians have qualified the final of an event in the World Championships. However, the two failed to reach the Olympic qualifying mark of 85.50m
With the automatic final qualification mark set for 83m, Chopra, who has a personal best of 89.94m, packed up and left the competition arena without taking any further throw. The final will be held Sunday.
Competing in the same group with Chopra in his debut World Championships, Manu finished third and sixth overall with a best throw of 81.31m which he produced in his second attempt. Manu had won a silver medal in the Asian Championships in July.
Kishore Jena, whose visa was rejected first by the Hungarian embassy in New Delhi before being cleared the next day, ended fifth in Group B and ninth overall with 80.55m. It is also his debut World Championships. Jena really did not have any time to prepare for the championships as he was not sure as to whether he would make it to Budapest at all. He arrived here August 20 and so for him to make the final is indeed a very inspiring performance.
“For the first time three Indians have qualified for the final round of an event in World Championships. It has never happened earlier. It’s a historic day for Indian javelin,” a team coach in the Indian contingent stated Friday.
India first participated in the World Championships in 1983. A competitor gets three attempts in the qualifying round.
PNN & Agencies