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India's presence in the javelin throw was unmistakably profound at the World Athletics Championships 2023 held in Budapest. While the spotlight rightly shone on Neeraj Chopra, the nation's golden boy who clinched the gold, two other Indian talents, Kishore Jena and DP Manu, showcased commendable prowess, adding to the country's athletic narrative.
Jena kickstarted his performance with a 75.70m throw, swiftly improving to 82.82m in his second strike. Despite a hiccup in his third endeavour, he secured his place among the top-8. Rising to the occasion, he marked an 80.19m in the fourth attempt and surpassed himself with a personal best of 84.77m, albeit facing a falter in his final attempt.
Manu, on the other hand, commenced with a 78.44m throw, momentarily stumbling in his second. Undeterred, he cast a robust 83.72m throw, cementing his place in the top-8. While his fourth saw a minor setback, he demonstrated resilience, notching up throws of 83.48m and 84.14m consecutively.
The backdrop of their commendable efforts was Germany's Julian Weber, securing the fourth position with a noteworthy throw of 85.79m.
An event of remarkable significance, this World Championships in Budapest saw, for the first time, three Indian javelin throwers making it to the men's final. The trio of Neeraj, Manu, and Jena represented India's athletic aspirations on this global stage.
Manu, a silver medallist at the Asian Athletics Championships, made his mark during the qualifiers with an 81.31m throw. His performance throughout the season, spotlighted by victories at the Indian Grand Prix events in Trivandrum and Bengaluru, echoed his unwavering form.
Jena, India's lone representative in Group B, battled adversities, including a visa snafu that nearly derailed his participation. Yet, he emerged triumphant, securing his finals berth with an impressive 80.55m throw.
However, the qualifiers were unequivocally dominated by Neeraj Chopra with a staggering throw of 88.77m. This was closely followed by Pakistan's Arshad Nadeem and Tokyo Olympics silver medallist, Jakub Vadlejch.
Drawing a parallel from the previous year, Neeraj had magnificently won a silver at the World Athletics Championships, with compatriot Rohit Yadav also making it to the finals.
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