Bhubaneswar: Uttar Pradesh athletes Rohit Yadav dominated the men’s javelin event of the 65thNational Athletics Inter State Championships at Kalinga Stadium here on Sunday, he created a New Meet Record with a throw of 87.05m and breaches the Asian Games qualification mark of 77.87m. With a massive Personal Best throw of 87.05m Rohit becoming India's third-best javelin thrower of all time, and recording the second-best throw in the world this season. Sri Lankan thrower Rumesh Tharanga is the season topper with 92.62m.
After injury Neeraj Chopra returned to action after nine months and finished fourth with a best throw of 85.69m. Rohit Yadav said” top two thrower will represent the country in the upcoming Asian Games. Though I have crossed Neeraj Chopra’s record this year, but he is altogether a different label of athlete, do not make any comparison with him”.
Talking about achieving the PB, Rohit added “my starting was not that good (77.71, 77,63, F, 77.51, 79.40, 87.05m), while Yashvir Singh and Sachin Yadav did well and crossed the 80m mark easily. Before my last throw I became relaxed and convinced myself let’s do it and the result was different, if my first throw was 80 plus than today, I could achieve a big millstone”.
Talking about the preparation for the upcoming international events, Rohit said “My growth is very slow and steady, in the year 2022 and 2023 I was in 82m and 83m brackets respectively. The year 2024 I suffered with injury and in 2025 again came back with my Personal Best throw. Now my focus will be Commonwealth Games and Asian Games. Hopefully I will make a podium finish”.
The silver and bronze medals in the men’s javelin event were claimed by Yashvir Singh and Sachin Yadav with a distance of 83.72 and 82.32m respectively.
Kalinga Stadium is the lucky hunting ground for the India’s ace long jumper Murli Shreesankar, with an 8,38m jump he bagged the gold medal and crossed Asian Games qualification mark of 7.91m. The Meet Record is also in his name with 8.41m created in the year 2023 at the same venue.
He was closely followed by Shahnavaz Khan with 8.30m won the silver medal, while David P got the bronze medal with 8.06m. All three long jumpers crossed the Asian Games qualification mark.
