Bengaluru: Upcoming talent Manu DP tried to perfect the parabola with the javelin in each of his six attempts and ended with a best of 81.23m on his last try that gave him the gold medal and meet record at the National Open Athletics Championships here on Tuesday.
The 22-year-old athlete from Hassan, representing Services, broke the record (Ravinder Singh Khaira's 79.04m set in 2016) with his very first attempt as the spear pierced the Sree Kanteerava turf at 80.32m. He improved the record further to 80.50m with his third try before bettering it on his sixth and final attempt.
Railways Rohit Yadav, who has a best of 82.54, settled for silver with 79.8m ahead of Odisha's Kishore Kumar Jena (78.05m).
Manu was happy to leave behind the bitterness of being denied permission to train on the same field before the meet and was looking ahead to the busy season next year. "I'm very happy. It has been two or three meets since I threw more than 81. I was only disappointed that they didn't allow me to practise for a day before the meet. (I needed) just two or three throws but they didn't allow it. I had to go to the Jalahalli ground to practise," Manu, who came fifth at the CWG, told reporters.
Abhinaya’s 1.82m jump called a foul In women's high jump, Mangaluru athlete Abhinaya S Shetty's clearance of 1.82m was declared a foul even though the official raised the white flag after the bar remained intact as she came off the mat. However, the bar toppled in the next few seconds and the officials promptly called it a foul even as the athlete protested in vain. Abhinaya had already pocketed the gold at 1.78m but the controversial decision robbed her a chance to better Sahana Kumari's meet record of 1.84m.
Results: Men: 800m: 1. Krishan Kumar (Ser, 1:48.8s); 2. Abhishek Singh Thakur (MP, 1:48.82); 3. Prakash Balu Gadade (Ser, 1:48.98). Javelin throw: 1. Manu DP (Ser, 81.23m NMR. Old Ravinder Singh Khaira, 79.04m, 2016), 2. Rohit Yadav (Rlys, 79.8), 3. Kishore Kumar Jena (Odi, 78.05). Discus throw: 1. Kripal Singh (ONGC, 58.15m); 2. Parshant Malik (Har, 55.1m); 3. Nirbhay Singh (Har, 54.88).Women: 800m: 1. Chanda (Rlys, 2:02.49s); 2. Pooja (Rlys, 2:05.92); 3. Twinkle (Rlys, 2:06.44).High jump: 1. Abhinaya S Shetty (Rlys, 1.78m), 2. Kevinaa Ashwine Annavi (TN, 1.76), 3. Rubina Yadava (Rlys, 1.74). Triple jump: 1. Poorva Hitesh Sawant (Mah, 13.18m), 2. Sheena NV (Ker. 13.07m), 3. Karthika Gothandapani (Rlys, 13).