Olympic and World Champion Neeraj Chopra successfully defended his Asian Games gold medal in a thrilling duel with fellow Indian athlete Kishore Jena, overcoming a technical glitch that added to the drama.
Neeraj, the overwhelming favorite in the event, faced an unexpected challenge from Jena, who stunned everyone with a massive throw of 86.77 metres, surpassing the World champion's 84.49 metres in his second attempt.
The competition got off to a dramatic start as Neeraj's initial throw was not recorded due to a bizarre malfunction in the electronic distance measurement system.
The stadium throbbed with excitement as Neeraj and Kishore engaged in a gripping battle to outperform each other.
Neeraj, demonstrating the spirit of a true champion, responded to Kishore's challenge by delivering a season-best throw of 88.88 metres in his fourth attempt, reclaiming the lead.
Kishore then gave his all, achieving a personal best distance of 87.54 metres, but it was only enough to secure second place behind Neeraj.
The Indians couldn't surpass their previous throws and ultimately settled for a remarkable 1-2 finish.
Kishore's performance earned him a spot in the Paris Olympics, surpassing the qualification mark of 85.50 metres.
Neeraj has already marked his place in the 2024 Games with a winning throw of 88.77 metres at the World Championships in Budapest in August.
