Kochi (Kerala) [India], April 22 (ANI): Sachin Yadav won the National Federation Senior Athletics Competition 2025, where he threw a javelin of 83.86m, which booked the first spot for him in the competition on Monday, as per Olympics.com.
Competing at the Maharaja’s College Stadium, Sachin’s winning mark came in the fifth round. His final attempt of 83.67m would also have been enough to top the field.
Sachin Yadav’s personal best of 84.39m came at the National Games earlier this year.
Yash Vir Singh took silver with a best of 80.85m, while Sahil Silwal bagged bronze with a 77.84m throw. Asian Games silver medallist Kishore Jena placed fourth with a 77.82m attempt.
The Federation Cup athletics meet was Jena’s second competitive outing since the Paris 2024 Olympics and his return from injury.
Earlier this month, Jena finished second at the Indian Open Athletics Meet in Chennai with a 75.99m throw, behind Yash Vir Singh’s 77.49m.
Kishore Jena holds a personal best of 87.54m, which came at the Asian Games 2023 where he claimed the silver medal behind national record-holder and world champion Neeraj Chopra.
The 28th National Federation Senior Athletics Competition is also a qualifying event for the Asian Athletics Championships 2025, which will be held in Gumi, the Republic of Korea, next month.
Overall, seven javelin throw athletes, including fifth-placed Shivam Lohakare (76.75m), sixth-placed Shashank Patil (76.66m) and seventh-placed Rohit Yadav (76.37m), breached the Athletics Federation of India’s qualifying mark for the Asian Championships in Kochi.
The entry standard for the men’s javelin event is set as 75.36m.
Several other athletes also impressed on the opening day in Kochi.
In the men’s 10000m, Sawan Barwal (28:57.13) and Abhishek Pal (29:14.86) both met the qualifying mark of 29:33.26. Batwal also set a new meet record.
Lili Das (4:10.88) and Pooja (4:12.56), in the women’s 1500m, also breached the Asian qualifying mark of 4:15.00 and so did Yoonus Shah, who clocked 3:41.93 to beat the time of 3:42.30 in the men’s 1500m.
Final selection in the Indian contingent for the Asian Athletics Championships 2025, however, is subject to the AFI’s discretion.
The men’s 100m dash also saw Manikanta Hoblidhar break the meet record and breach the Asian Championships entry standard by clocking 10.25s in the semi-finals but he had to eventually settle for bronze in the final.
Pranav Pramod Gurav finished in pole position while national record holder Gurindervir Singh came in last in the eight-man final.
Vithya Ramraj and Subha Venkatesan were also among six runners who breached the continental qualifying mark in the women’s 400m heats. The final for the event, however, is scheduled for a later date.
National Federation Senior Athletics Competition 2025 Day 1 winners:
Men’s 10,000m: 1. Sawan Barwal*(28:57.13); 2. Abhishek Pal* (29:14.86). 3. Kiran Matre (29:47.62)
Women’s 10000m: 1. Sanjivani Baburao Jadhav (33:44.43); 2. Seema (34:55.92); 3. Beby (34:59.67)
Women’s pole vault: 1. Pavithra Venkatesh (4.00m); 2. Baranica Elangovan (4.00m); 3. Vanshika Ghanghas (3.90m)
Men’s javelin throw: 1. Sachin Yadav (83.86m); 2. Yashvir Singh (80.85m); 3. Sahil Silwal (77.84m)
Women’s 100m: 1. Nithya Gandhe (11.50); 2. Abinaya Rajarajan (11.54); 3. Sneha S.S (11.62)
Men’s 100m: 1. Pranav Pramod Gurav (10.27); 2. Animesh Kujur (10.32); 3. Manikanta Hoblidhar (10.35)
Women’s 1500m: 1. Lili Das* (4:10.88); 2. Pooja* (4:12.56); 3. Kajal Rangnath Kanwade (4:20.67)
Men’s 1500m: 1. Yoonus Shah* (3:41.93); 2. Ajay Kumar Saroj (3:42.64); 3. Narender Singh (3:42.77). (ANI)