Indian javelin thrower Rohit Yadav achieved a personal best of 87.05m on the final day of the 65th National Inter-State Senior Athletics Championships at Bhubaneswar's Kalinga Stadium, placing him second in the current global men's javelin throw rankings. The 25-year-old from Uttar Pradesh unleashed the winning throw in his sixth and final attempt, surpassing his previous best of 83.04m set in 2023 and breaking the meet record of 84.35m held by Manu DP since 2022.
Global Rankings and Key Competitors
Rohit Yadav's mark of 87.05m places him second behind Sri Lankan thrower Rumesh Tharanga Pathirage, who leads the global list with 92.62m. Two-time Olympic and world medallist Neeraj Chopra holds fourth place with a season best of 85.69m. Yadav's performance has made him the leading Indian javelin thrower this season, according to a press release from the Athletics Federation of India (AFI).
Athlete's Reaction and Performance Analysis
"Today's performance was a big boost to my confidence ahead of major competitions like the Glasgow Commonwealth Games and the Asian Games in Japan," Rohit Yadav said. "I've been crossing distances of 86m and 87m in practice, but I couldn't translate good throws during competitions. It was hurting me badly. But I'm happy to have set a new benchmark in competition." His series included throws of 77.71m, 77.63m, a no mark, 77.51m, 79.40m, and the winning 87.05m. "I was able to achieve a throw of 87.05m in my last attempt because I got a good rhythm," he added. The Uttar Pradesh thrower emphasized the need to cultivate a habit of crossing 85m or 86m in his opening throws to perform optimally in future events.
Other Medalists and Asian Games Qualification
Yashvir Singh (83.72m) and Sachin Yadav (82.32m) finished second and third, respectively, both achieving the Asian Games qualification mark of 77.87m. Several athletes met the qualification standards on Sunday, and the AFI is expected to announce the Asian Games-bound contingent on Monday.
Outstanding Performances in Other Events
Kerala's long jumper Sreeshankar M was a standout performer, winning gold with a jump of 8.38m in his fourth attempt. All his legal jumps exceeded 8m, with a series of 8.06m, 8.00m, 8.21m, 8.38m, 8.26m, and a final no mark. "It was a competitive field. It motivated me to give my best, and I kept on pushing hard," Sreeshankar said. He and Ancy Sojan were awarded the best male and female athletes of the meet, respectively.
Team Championships and Awards
Uttar Pradesh won the men's team trophy with 71 points, while Haryana secured the women's team trophy with 82 points. Tamil Nadu claimed the overall team championship with 138 points.
Day-Five Results Summary
Men's Events
- 400m (Asian Games qualifying 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, Sawan Barwal (Himachal Pradesh) 30:08.08, Shailesh Kushwaha (Karnataka) 30:23.13.
- 3000m steeplechase (AG Q Time: 8:36.57): Balkishan (Haryana) 8:50.18, Sharuk Khan (Uttar Pradesh) 8:53.18, Shubham Bhandare (Maharashtra) 8:54.90.
- 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, Karnataka 3:09.51, Kerala 3:09.51.
Women's Events
- 400m (AG Q Time: 53.72 secs): Prachi (Uttar Pradesh) 53.24, Kiran Pahal (Haryana) 53.45, Devyaniba Zala (Gujarat) 53.46.
- 10,000m (AG Q Time: 33:50.00): Seema (Himachal Pradesh) 34:28.75, Soniya (Uttarakhand) 34:35.22, Ravina Gayakwad (Maharashtra) 35:44.45.
- 3000m steeplechase (AG Q Time: 9:47.53): Ankita (Uttarakhand) 9:44.05, Khushbu Gupta (Uttar Pradesh) 19:38.47, 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, Karnataka 3:36.18, Kerala 3:39.70.
