Young javelin thrower Rishab Nehra delivered a spectacular upset, shattering his personal best with an incredible 80.12-meter throw to secure the men’s javelin gold. This thrilling victory took place on the final day of the National Open Athletics Championships at the Birsa Munda Stadium in Morabadi, marking a memorable Tuesday.
The 25-year-old athlete, whose previous best was 77.38m in 2022 and a modest season-best of 72.29m, started with throws of 72.26m and 76.19m. But it was his third attempt that truly soared, propelling the spear to an astonishing 80.12m. This monumental throw not only launched him into the prestigious 80-meter club but also eclipsed the then-leading mark of 76.58m set by Shivam Lohakare, securing Rishab his well-deserved championship title.
Reflecting on his triumph, Nehra shared, “The first two throws felt good, which prompted my coach to encourage me to really go for it on the third attempt – and it paid off perfectly!”
Despite battling persistent ankle pain, the talented Shivam Lohakare managed a commendable 77.65m on his third throw, ultimately securing the bronze medal, just behind Uttam Patil’s 78.01m.
Yashvir Singh, a participant in the Tokyo World Championships, landed in fourth place with a throw of 77.66m, followed closely by Sahil Silwal in fifth with 76.94m.
In the women’s 800m, Asian bronze medallist Pooja Olla, fresh from setting a personal best of 2:01.03 in Tokyo, clinched the gold comfortably with a time of 2:03.16, successfully fending off a late surge from Lili Das (2:04.15).
Fellow World Championships competitor Ankita Dhyani dominated the women’s 3,000m steeplechase, running a commanding race to claim the title with a time of 10:01.74.
K.A. Anamika celebrated a personal best score of 5629 points, earning her first-ever heptathlon gold. The standout performers of the championships were also recognized, with Manikanta Hoblidhar (100m) and Pooja (800m) receiving the accolades for best male and female athletes, respectively.
The Railways men’s 4x400m relay team, consisting of Kaven S.K., Theerthesh Shetty, Vikrant Panchal, and Rajesh Ramesh, made history by setting a new meet record with an impressive time of 3:06.35.
The results: (winners only): Men: 200m: Sandeep Singh (SSCB) 20.95; 800m: Prakash Gadade (SSCB) 1:50.01; 10,000m: Prince Kumar (AIP) 30:25.15; 400m hurdles: Ruchit Mori (Guj) 50.47; 3,000m steeplechase: Vikram Singh (SSCB) 8:38.91; 4x400m relay: Railways 3:06.35 (NMR, Old 3:06.63, Services, 2015); Triple jump: Dinesh V. (TN) 16.27m; Javelin: Rishab Nehra (UP) 80.12m.
Women: 200m: Sakshi Chavan (Guj) 23.78; 800m: Pooja (Rlys) 2:03.16; 400m hurdles: Olimba Steffi (Rlys) 58.93; 10,000m: Ravina Gayakwad (Mah) 35:30.16; 3,000m steeplechase: Ankita Dhyani (Rlys) 10:01.74; 4x400m relay: Railways 3:39.28; Long jump: Bhavani Yadav Bhagav (Rlys) 6.13m; Hammer: Tanya Chaudhary (UP) 60.83m; Heptathlon: K.A. Anamika 5629.
Team championships: Men: Services; Women: Railways; Overall: Railways.