National Open Athletics Championships: DP Manu dominates javelin throw, wins gold with a new meet record

DP Manu, representing Services at the 61st National Open Athletics Championships being held at Bengaluru’s Sree Kanteerava Stadium, dominated the men’s javelin throw. On Tuesday (October 18), the 22-year-old Army thrower won the gold medal with a throw of 81.23m, which was better than the previous championship record of 79.04m set by Ravinder Singh Khaira in Lucknow in 2016.

Manu, the Birmingham Commonwealth Games finalist, was the only thrower in the field to cross the 80m mark in Bengaluru on Tuesday. He finished fifth in Birmingham with a throw of 82.28. Manu’s arch rival Rohit Yadav of Railways settled for silver with a throw of 79.80m.

In the two-lap event (800m), Krishan Kumar of Services and KM Chanda of Railways emerged winners in the men's and women's group, respectively. Rajasthan’s Yaman Deep Sharma won gold in the grueling men's decathlon event spread over two days.

Other athletic events like discus throw (men), high jump, and triple jump (both women) also took place on Tuesday at the 61st National Open Athletics Championships.

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61st National Open Athletics Championships Results (final)

Men

800m: 1. Krishan Kumar (Services) 1:48.80; 2. Abhishek Singh (Madhya Pradesh) 1:48.82; 3. Prakash Balu Gadade (Services) 1:48.98.

Discus Throw: 1. Kirpal Singh (ONGC) 58.15m; 2. Parshant Malik (Haryana) 55.10; 3. Nirbhay Singh (Haryana) 54.88.

Javelin Throw: 1. DP Manu (Services) 81.23m (Old meet record 79.04m, Ravinder Singh Khaira, Lucknow, 2016); 2. Rohit Yadav (Railways) 79.80; 3. Kishore Kumar Jena (Odisha) 78.05.

Decathlon: 1. Yaman Deep Sharma (Rajasthan) 6713 points (100m: 11.54, LJ: 6.79, SP: 10.83, HJ: 1.91, 400: 51.25, 110mh: 15.87, DT: 30.08, PV: 4.30, JT: 47.56, 1500: 4:33.82); 2. Sunil Kumar (Services) 6661; 3. Tejinder Singh (Services) 6640.

Women

800m: 1. KM Chanda (Railways) 2:02.49; 2. Pooja (Railways) 2:05.92; Twinkle Chaudhury (Railways) 2:06.44.

Triple Jump: 1. Poorva Hitesh Sawant (Maharashtra) 13.18m; 2. NV Sheena (Kerala) 13.07; 3. Karthika Gothandapani (Railways) 13.00.

High Jump: 1. Abhinaya Shetty (Railways) 1.78m; 2. Kevinaa Ashwinie Annavi (Tamil Nadu) 1.76; 3. Rubina Yadav (Uttar Pradesh) 1.74.