Rohit Yadav Shines with Record Javelin Throw at National Championships
Rohit Yadav's Stellar Performance
Bhubaneswar (Odisha) [India], June 29: Javelin thrower Rohit Yadav captured attention by securing the second position in the global rankings for men's javelin throw, achieving an impressive distance of 87.05m during the final day of the 65th National Inter-State Senior Athletics Championships held at Kalinga Stadium.
The 25-year-old athlete clinched gold with his remarkable throw in his final attempt, marking a significant achievement in his career.
With this outstanding performance, Yadav has established himself as the top Indian javelin thrower this season, ranking second worldwide, just behind Sri Lankan Rumesh Tharanga Pathirage, who leads with a throw of 92.62m, as reported in a press release.
Notably, two-time Olympic and world medalist Neeraj Chopra currently holds the fourth position globally with a throw of 85.69m.
Yadav's previous best throw of 83.04m was recorded earlier this year, and his latest achievement surpasses the meet record of 84.35m set by Manu DP in 2022.
"This performance has significantly boosted my confidence as I prepare for major events like the Glasgow Commonwealth Games and the Asian Games in Japan," stated Yadav.
He expressed his frustration over not being able to replicate his practice throws in competitions, saying, "I’ve been consistently hitting distances of 86m and 87m in training, but translating that into competition has been challenging. I’m thrilled to have set a new benchmark today."
Yadav's series of throws included distances of 77.71m, 77.63m, no mark, 77.51m, 79.40m, and the standout 87.05m.
"I managed to achieve the 87.05m throw in my final attempt due to a good rhythm," he explained.
Looking ahead, Yadav emphasized the importance of consistently exceeding 85m or 86m in his opening throws to enhance his performance.
In addition to Yadav, Yashvir Singh (83.72m) and Sachin Yadav (82.32m) secured second and third places, respectively, both meeting the qualification mark of 77.87m for the Asian Games in Japan.
In other events, Sreeshankar M from Kerala showcased his talent in long jump, winning gold with a jump of 8.38m on his fourth attempt. His consistent performance included all legal jumps exceeding 8m, with series of 8.06m, 8.00m, 8.21m, 8.38m, and 8.26m.
"The competitive atmosphere pushed me to perform at my best, and I kept striving for excellence," Sreeshankar remarked about his impressive showing.
Numerous athletes achieved the qualification standards for the Asian Games during the championships, with the Athletics Federation of India (AFI) set to announce the contingent on Monday.
Sreeshankar M and Ancy Sojan were honored as the best male and female athletes of the meet, respectively.
Uttar Pradesh claimed the men's team trophy with 71 points, while Haryana took home the women's team trophy with 82 points. Tamil Nadu emerged victorious in the overall team championships with a total of 138 points.
Day-five Results:
Men's Events:
400m (AG Q Time 45.97 secs): Vishal TK (Tamil Nadu) 45.43 secs, Manu TS (Kerala) 45.60 secs, Jay Kumar (Uttar Pradesh) 45.73 secs.
10,000m (AG Q Time 29:00.00): Abhishek Pal (Uttar Pradesh) 30:03.88 secs, Sawan Barwal (Himachal Pradesh) 30:08.08 secs, Shailesh Kushwaha (Karnataka) 30:23.13 secs.
3000m steeplechase (AG Q Time 8:36.57 secs): Balkishan (Haryana) 8:50.18 secs, Sharuk Khan (Uttar Pradesh) 8:53.18 secs, Shubham Bhandare (Maharashtra) 8:54.90 secs.
Javelin throw (AG Q Mark 77.87m): Rohit Yadav (Uttar Pradesh) 87.05m, Yashvir Singh (Rajasthan) 83.72m, Sachin Yadav (Uttar Pradesh) 82.32m.
Long jump (AG Q Mark 7.91m): Sreeshankar M (Kerala) 8.38m, Shahnavaz Khan (Uttar Pradesh) 8.30m, David P (Tamil Nadu) 8.06m.
4x400m relay: Tamil Nadu 3:09.32 secs, Karnataka 3:09.51 secs, Kerala 3:09.51 secs.
Women's Events:
400m (AG Q Time 53.72 seconds): Prachi (Uttar Pradesh) 53.24 secs, Kiran Pahal (Haryana) 53.45 secs, Devyaniba Zala (Gujarat) 53.46 secs.
10,000m (AG Q Time: 33:50.00): Seema (Himachal Pradesh) 34:28.75 secs, Soniya (Uttarakhand) 34:35.22 secs, Ravina Gayakwad (Maharashtra) 35:44.45 secs.
3000m steeplechase (AG Q Time 9:47.53 secs): Ankita (Uttarakhand) 9:44.05, Khushbu Gupta (Uttar Pradesh) 9:38.47, Kumari Parru (Rajasthan) 10:52.28.
High jump (AG Q Mark 1.80m): Pooja (Haryana) 1.83m, Supriya B (Karnataka) 1.80m, Khyati Mathur (Uttar Pradesh) 1.80m.
Heptathlon (AG Q Mark 5605 points): Pooja (Haryana) 5619 points, Anamika KA (Kerala) 5466 points, Khushi (Haryana) 5438 points. 4x400m relay: Tamil Nadu 3:35.87 secs, Karnataka 3:36.18 secs, Kerala 3:39.70 secs.