Top five longest javelin throws by Indian male athletes in 2023

Neeraj Chopra tops chart with 88.88m.

Undeniably, Neeraj Chopra has been instrumental in India’s rise in athletics, sparking an unprecedented interest in the javelin throw. The World Athletics Championships 2023 saw three Indian athletes secure positions among the top 10 finalists in the javelin throw event.

India is home to promising talents like Rohit Yadav, Kishore Kumar Jena, and Manu DP, largely due to how Neeraj has inspired fellow Indians to embrace the sport and aspire for the pole position. While Neeraj is yet to achieve the elusive 90m mark, there’s optimism that he will surpass it eventually.

With only few months left until the Olympic Games 2024 in Paris, where Neeraj is set to defend his title, he will certainly lead a contingent of men’s javelin throwers from India into the event.

Here is a list of the top five javelin throws by Indians in 2023:

5. Shivpal Singh

PB: 86.23m | SB: 81.96m

Just when doubts arose about Shivpal Singh’s peak performance days being behind him, he emphatically surpassed the 80m mark, demonstrating that he still possesses the skill to compete at the highest levels. The javelin thrower, eager to make up for lost time, saw his doping ban reduced from four years to one, marking a pivotal return to competition early in the year.

He achieved a personal best of 81.96m, securing the bronze at the National Interstate Senior Athletics Championships in Bhubaneswar. Despite facing challenges, including doping allegations and suspensions in the recent past, the 27-year-old is determined to look beyond those setbacks and strive to reach the levels of excellence he attained in 2019 and 2020.

Shivpal marked a significant comeback by clinching gold at the 37th National Games, outshining a formidable field that included Asian Games silver medallist Kishore Kumar Jena and Asian DP Manu.

4. Rohit Yadav

PB: 83.40m | SB: 83.40m

In the realm of javelin throw, Rohit Yadav stands out as yet another consistently impressive performer hailing from India. This year, he achieved his personal best at the National Federation Cup in May and came remarkably close to this mark once again in June at the Indian Championships in Bhubaneshwar. Although he participated in the World Athletics Championships last year, an unfortunate injury prevented his inclusion in this year’s competition.

Leading a formidable group of Indian javelin throwers, 21-year-old Rohit Yadav illuminated the Birsa Munda Stadium in Ranchi during the final day of the Federation Cup 2023 athletics meet, delivering an outstanding performance that included an impressive series of eight throws surpassing the 80m mark. Rohit Yadav’s exceptional display included crossing the 80m mark five times in six attempts, starting with 83.10m and culminating in a gold medal-winning throw of 83.40m on his second attempt.

3. DP Manu

PB: 84.35m | SB: 84.33m

In a standout performance, D.P. Manu, 23, currently the season’s third-best thrower after Neeraj Chopra and Jena, achieved a best effort of 84.33m earlier this year at the Indian Grand Prix. Demonstrating remarkable consistency, Manu recorded 80m+ throws in four competitions in 2023. At the Asian Athletics Championships, he also contributed to India’s growing medal tally by securing a silver medal with a throw of 81.01m.

2. Kishore Jena

PB: 87.54m | SB: 87.54m

Kishore Jena delivered a stellar performance in the Asian Games 2023 finals by achieving his personal best mark with an impressive throw of 87.54m which earned him the well-deserved silver medal. This marked a significant improvement for Jena who had previously secured the fourth position at the World Championship with a throw of 84.77m.

His outstanding display at the Asian Games included a throw that soared to a distance of 86.77 meters in the third round followed by an even more impressive extension to 87.54 meters in the fourth round witnessing his qualification for the Paris Olympics 2024. This throw ranks as the fifth-best in the world, joining the notable performances of Jakub Vadlejch, Neeraj Chopra, Julian Weber and Arshad Nadeem.

1. Neeraj Chopra

PB: 89.94m | SB: 88.88m

Neeraj Chopra regained his Asian Games javelin throw title in Hangzhou with a remarkable season-best throw of 88.88m. Despite encountering technical issues that led to the nullification of his initial attempt, Chopra achieved the season’s best on his fourth throw. This victory marked the Indian javelin ace’s second gold medal at the quadrennial extravaganza following his triumph at Jakarta 2018.

This is the second-best throw globally, following the Czech Republic athlete Jakub Vadlejch’s impressive throw of 89.51m.

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