Devendra Jhajharia improves world record in javelin to make Tokyo Paralympic cut
The two-time Paralympic Games gold medallist qualified for his third Summer Games with a world record-improving throw at the national trials. The performance, however, will not be considered as a new world record.
Paralympic Games
India’s two-time Paralympic Games gold medallist Devendra Jhajharia improved on his javelin throw world record en route to booking his place at the Tokyo Paralympic Games next month.
The 40-year-old Jhajharia, who competes in the men's F46 category, hurled the spear to a distance of 65.71 metres at the National Paralympic Trials in New Delhi.
Though the distance was better than his own world record of 63.97 metres set at the Rio Games in 2016, the performance will not be considered for the purposes of a record since it came at a domestic trial without any international participation.
Jhajharia, who won his maiden Olympic gold medal at the 2004 Athens Games regained his Paralympic title at Rio 2016. He is India’s only two-time Paralympic champion in an individual event.
The Tokyo Paralympics start on August 24.
India returned with a total of four medals from Rio 2016. While Jhajharia and the high jumper in the men’s T42 category, Mariyappan Thangavelu, bagged gold medals in their respective events, Deepa Malik won a silver in the women’s shot put F53 class.
Meanwhile, Varun Singh Bhati was the bronze medallist in the men’s T42 category high jump competition.