Asian Games: Neeraj Chopra strikes Gold, Kishore Jena clinches Silver as India complete unforgettable 1-2 in javelin

India logged a 1-2 finish in the Asian Games 2023 men’s javelin throw competition with Neeraj Chopra winning the gold and Kishore Kumar Jena bagging the silver at the Hangzhou Olympic Sports Park Main Stadium, in the People’s Republic of China on Wednesday.

Surprisingly, the standout performer of the evening was Kishore Kumar Jena, who not only secured his first major international medal but also shattered his personal best not once but twice during the competition.

Kishore Kumar Jena briefly led the Hangzhou 2023 men’s javelin throw standings and achieved an impressive 86.77m on his third throw, surpassing his previous personal best of 84.77m set at the Budapest world championships earlier in the year. Astonishingly, he further improved to 87.54m with his fourth throw, securing the silver medal at the event.

Jena’s outstanding throws also resulted in him meeting the men’s javelin throw qualification standards for the Paris 2024 Olympics, which were set at 85.50m.

Both stars encountered technical issues, as Neeraj’s first throw was invalidated due to some technical problem, resulting in a substantial delay. Kishore Jena’s second throw was initially incorrectly ruled as a foul but later approved with a white flag.

Nevertheless, both athletes persevered and ultimately earned spots on the podium.

The bronze medal in the competition was claimed by Japan’s Roderick Genki Dean, who recorded a throw of 82.68m on his fifth attempt, adding to the excitement of an eventful evening of javelin throwing at the Asian Games.