Indian javelin thrower DP Manu to train in South Africa to prepare for Paris Olympics 2024 qualification
Indian javelin thrower DP Manu is all set to head to North West University High-Performance Centre in Potchefstroom, South Africa, in the first week of March. He is currently being trained at the Army Sports Institute (ASI) in Pune.
In their 125th meeting, the Mission Olympic Cell (MOC) of the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports (MYAS) approved Manu’s proposal to train in South Africa for 32 days. During his stint there, he will compete in various local athletics events to prepare himself for the upcoming season.
With the excitement building for the Paris 2024 Olympics in July and August, Manu will be giving his best to meet the men’s javelin throw qualifying standards for the mega event, set at 85.5m. Interestingly, only two Indians, Neeraj Chopra and Kishore Jena, have breached the mark.
The MOC, under the Target Olympic Podium Scheme (TOPS), had earlier approved Neeraj Chopra’s proposal to train at the location where Manu is now heading to train. However, the Olympic gold medalist has already left for Turkey for a 79-day training stint. Notably, the proposal was approved during the 124th MOC meeting.
In addition to DP Manu, MOC has also approved Indian shooter Esha Singh’s proposal for financial assistance to cover ammunition testing and grip customization at Italy’s Pardini Factory. Esha Singh will head to Tuscany, Italy, alongside her coach for this purpose.
Under the TOPS funding, MYAS will cover their Airfare, boarding/lodging costs, local transportation costs, OPA (for Manu and his coach), and Grip Making & weapon servicing charges (for Esha) among other expenditures.
It’s also important to note that the MOC has also approved the proposals for new javelins for para-athletes Navdeep Singh and Pushpendra Singh during the same meeting.
DP Manu has been regularly touching the 83-84 meter range
In July 2023, Manu catapulted a remarkable 81 meters to secure the silver at the Asian Athletics Championships in Bangkok. Later in August 2023, he showcased his prowess at the World Championships in Budapest, clinching sixth place in the final (84.14m). Notably, he qualified for the final with an 81.31m throw.
Furthermore, Manu would also be eyeing to overcome his technical errors and improve his overall performance. He has consistently thrown within the range of 83-84m during training and is optimistic about meeting the Olympic qualification standards with ease.