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Indian javelin throwers have potential to join 90m club in future, says world champion Neeraj Chopra

India’s World and Olympic champion Neeraj Chopra on Wednesday said there is a possibility that two male Indian javelin throwers could join the 90m club in the near future.

The 25-year-old star from Haryana categorically made a mention of Odisha’s rising javelin thrower and Asian Games silver medalist Kishore Kumar Jena.

“In future, I see two Indian javelin throwers joining the 90m club,” Chopra said, on the sidelines of a felicitation ceremony of the Asian Games athletics contingent by the Athletics Federation of India (AFI).

Chopra started his season with the Doha Diamond League in May, but he withdrew from a couple of international events due to a groin injury. However, he recovered from the niggle and bounced back to win gold at the 2023 World Athletics Championships held in Hungary.

At the 2022 edition of the Worlds in Eugene, Chopra had won silver. India’s Anju Bobby George had won a bronze at the 2003 Paris World Athletics Championships.

Chopra was successful in defending his title at the Asian Games in China. He revealed that Jena’s performance during the just concluded 19th Asian Games in Hangzhou acted as a catalyst and spurred him.

“It was a healthy rivalry between me and Jena during the medal round of the men’s javelin throw in Hangzhou,” Chopra added.

While Chopra won the gold with a throw of 88.88m, Jena settled for silver with a throw of 87.54m, a personal best.

At one juncture of the javelin competition in Hangzhou, Jena took pole position with a throw of 86.77m, while Chopra was trailing at second spot with a throw of 84.49m.

The lead was temporary as Chopra dug deep to hurl the spear to a distance of 88.88m to win gold. Jena’s best throw of 87.54m fetched him silver.

At the 19th Asian Games, India's athletics contingent won 29 medals, six of them gold, 14 silver and nine bronze. Adille Sumariwalla, president, AFI said the Indian squad could have enhanced the gold medal tally in Hangzhou.

“I will say it was a bad miss in middle distance events and women’s 4x400m relay at the Asian Games,” Sumariwalla said.

Sumariwalla, who is one of the vice presidents of World Athletics, said the Indian athletes also gave a good account of themselves at the Budapest World Athletics Championship held from August 19 to 27.

“While Neeraj Chopra was crowned world champion, Jena and Manu DP were in top six, which suggest the growing stature of Indian javelin throwers at the global stage,” Sumariwalla added.

Besides the javelin throw, the men's 4x400m relay team was impressive and shattered the Asian record during the heats at the World Athletics Championships. The national team eventually finished fifth in the final and clocked 2:59.92 seconds.

“The outstanding performance in a packed 2023 season was a big boost to the confidence of the Indian athletes ahead of the 2024 Paris Olympic Games,” Sumariwalla said.

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