Neeraj Chopra breaks national record to win gold at Indian GP

Asian Games and Commonwealth Games gold medallist Neeraj Chopra threw an attempt of 88.07m to create a new national record in the javelin throw event at the Indian Grand Prix 3 at the National Institute of Sports (NIS), Patiala on Friday.

The 23-year-old Neeraj Chopra broke his own record of 88.06m – which he had set at the 2018 Asian Games. It was his first competition since the meet in South Africa where he qualified for the Olympics in January last year with a 87.86m throw.

In Patiala, Neeraj Chopra threw 83.03m in his first attempt. He was off-balance in his second and third, crossing the line while throwing, which negated those attempts.

The world junior javelin throw champion then threw 83.36m, but his best attempt of the day came in his fifth throw. Neeraj Chopra initially turned away, seemingly disappointed, but the official measurement showed it to break the existing national record.

“I had prepared well for the event and it was quite windy here today, which was new for me. I changed my javelin midway, picked one which deals better with the wind. I did not think my throw was powerful, but it was good enough,” admitted Neeraj Chopra.

The promising Shivpal Singh – who has qualified for the Tokyo Olympics along with Neeraj Chopra - took silver with a best throw of 81.63m while 20-year-old Sahil Silwal rounded off the podium with 80.65m.

In the women’s javelin throw, Tokyo Olympics aspirant Annu Rani comfortably won gold with a best throw of 61.98m, beating her nearest competitor’s throw by almost 10m.

However, Annu Rani still has to make up some distance to achieve the Olympic qualifying mark of 64m.

Hima Das runs first 100m sprint

Star Indian sprinter and new Assam Police DSP Hima Das finished her first 100m race in 11.67 seconds. Hima Das was the sole participant in the 100m and so it was all about achieving her best timing.

She was slightly slow off the blocks and her time was some way off Dutee Chand’s national record of 11.22 seconds. She will have to work even harder to achieve the Tokyo Olympics qualifying mark of 11.15 seconds. Dutee Chand skipped the third Indian GP.

Asian Games bronze medallist MR Poovamma won the women’s 400m and 800m.

Meanwhile, Muhammad Anas won the 200m, and Dharun Ayyasamy, the 2018 Asian Games silver medallist, beat Aftab Alam in the men’s 400m hurdles for the second time at the Indian GP.

M Sreeshankar, the national record holder in the men’s long jump, won the event with Yugant Singh taking silver and Anas’ younger brother Muhammad Anees won bronze in the long jump.

Indian GP 3 results

Men

Javelin Throw: 1. Neeraj Chopra (HAR) 88.07m; 2. Shivpal Singh (UP) 81.63m; 3. Sahil Silwal (HAR) 80.65m

Shot Put: 1. Tajinderpal Singh Toor (PUN) 20.09m; 2. Devinder Singh (PUN) 18.24m; 3. Sahib Singh (DEL) 17.52m

Long Jump: 1. M Sreeshankar (KER) 7.91m; 2. Yugant Singh (UP) 7.68m; 3. Muhammed Anees (KER) 7.60m

Triple Jump: 1. Eldhose Paul (KER) 15.80m; 2. Kamal Raj Kanagaraj (TN) 15.67m; 3. Punit Sharma (UTK) 14.17m

200m: 1. Muhammad Anas (KER) 21.48s; 2. Akshay Khot (MAH) 22.04s; 3. Rahul Kadam (MAH) 22.04s

400m: 1. Amoj Jacob (DEL) 45.7s; 2. Sarthak Bhambri (DEL) 47.11s; 3. Jashanjot Singh (PUN) 47.59s

400m Hurdles: 1. Ayyasamy Dharun (TN) 51.04s; 2. Aftab Alam (UP) 51.6s; 3. Joravar Singh (PUN) 55.83s

800m: 1. Nikesh Rathod (MAH) 1:53.94; 2. Parveen Boora (HAR) 1:55.03; 3. Arjun Khokhar (HAR) 1:56.10

3000m Steeplechase: 1. Avinash Sable (MAH) 8;24.40; 2. Naveen Dagar (HAR) 8;56.36; 3. Balkishan (HAR) 9:06.69

5000m: 1. Kailash Kumar Kumawat (RAJ) 20:19.84

Women

Javelin Throw: 1. Annu Rani (UP) 61.98m; 2. Sanjana Choudhary (RAJ) 52.54m; 3. Sharmila Kumari (HAR) 50.77m

Shot Put: 1. Srishti Vig (DEL) 16.06m; 2. Kachnar Chaudhary (RAJ) 14.41m; 3. Tunlai Sameswar Narzar (ASM) 14.07m

Long Jump: 1. Mareena George (KER) 5.97m; 2. Shiwangi Dubey (UP) 5.76m; 3. Sowmiya Murugan (TN) 5.51m

100m: 1. Hima Das (ASM) 11.67s

400m: 1. MR Poovamma (KAR) 54.11s; 2. Subha Venkatesan (TN) 55.11s; 3. Salini Valuparambil Kris (KER) 56.5s

800m: 1. MR Poovamma (KAR) 2:08.60; 2. Urvashi (HAR) 2:18.06; 3. Sukhwant Kaur (RAJ) 2:18.41

3000m Steeplechase: 1. Chinta (UP) 10:27.06; 2. Sapna Singh (HAR) 13:09.92

5000m: 1. Parul Chaudhary (UP) 15:48.49; 2. Ruby Kashyap (UP) 18:23.79