On a humid August evening at the iconic Kalinga Stadium, veteran Indian javelin thrower Annu Rani delivered a golden performance that not only secured her the top podium spot but also reignited her bid for the 2025 World Athletics Championships in Tokyo.
Competing in the inaugural Indian Open World Athletics Continental Tour Bronze Label meet, Rani claimed victory in the women’s javelin throw with a best mark of 62.01 m, her second consecutive 60 m+ effort in the span of a week.
This latest triumph follows her 62.59 m winning throw at the International Wiesław Maniak Memorial in Poland, a performance that was already her season’s best and fifth-best career mark. For an athlete who had struggled with consistency over the past year, often falling short of the 60 m barrier, these back-to-back performances have been nothing short of transformative.
Consistency Under Pressure
Rani’s winning throw came in the fourth round, but her series reflected remarkable control: 52.74 m, 58.65 m, 58.39 m, 62.01 m, 61.01 m, and 59.02 m. Notably, five of her six throws would have been enough to win the competition, underscoring her dominance over the field.
Sri Lanka’s N.D.L. Hatarabag Leka finished second with 56.27 m, while India’s Deepika claimed bronze with 54.20 m. The winning margin of nearly six meters speaks volumes about Rani’s current form.
What makes this performance even more commendable is the physical toll Rani faced leading into the meet. Just days earlier, she had competed in Poland in cool 14–16°C weather. Bhubaneswar, in contrast, offered 32°C heat and nearly 90% humidity. Jet lag and travel fatigue lingered, yet Rani dug deep. “I didn’t have the energy to compete but willed myself to come out here and perform,” she admitted post-event. “If I can cross 60 m despite fatigue, I think I’m ready for a medal at the Worlds.”
Her coach credited mid-competition adjustments for the improvement. After an aggressive but slightly erratic start, Rani focused on her release angle and approach speed, resulting in her best throws in rounds four and five.
Road to Tokyo 2025
For women’s javelin, the automatic qualifying mark for the World Championships is 64.00 m, a distance Rani has not hit since her 63.82 m national record in 2022. With the qualification window closing on August 24, her best route to Tokyo lies in accumulating ranking points.
Before the Poland meet, Rani sat at 41st in the Road to Tokyo rankings. The 62.59 m win there lifted her to 30th, and Bhubaneswar’s 62.01 m result has further solidified her place inside the top 36 the number of athletes who will make the Tokyo field. Whether she competes in the upcoming Interstatemeet in Chennai will depend on balancing ranking needs with recovery to avoid overexertion.
Rani’s track record, including the 2023 Asian Games gold in Hangzhou with a throw of 62.92 m, shows she can deliver on big stages. But perhaps more importantly, her recent form indicates a shift from erratic results to consistent elite-level performances, a crucial psychological edge heading into the Worlds.
India’s Continental Tour Debut
The Bhubaneswar meet was historic in its own right. This was India’s first-ever World Athletics Continental Tour event, bringing Bronze Label status and, with it, ranking points to home soil. The one-day meet drew over 150 athletes from 17 countries, including more than 90 Indians, competing across 19 events for a total prize purse of USD 25,000. Hosting such a meet is a milestone for Indian athletics. It reduces the travel burden for athletes chasing qualification, offers experience against international competition, and signals India’s capability to stage world-class events. The Kalinga Stadium, already known for its athletics and hockey events, once again proved an ideal venue.
While Rani’s win was the headline act, several other performances added to the home nation’s tally:
- Murali Sreeshankar produced a clutch final-round leap of 8.13 m to win the men’s long jump, edging out teenage talent Shahnavaz Khan, who achieved a career-best 8.04 m.
- Animesh Kujur delighted local fans with gold in the men’s 200m, clocking 20.77s, just hours after withdrawing from the 100m heats due to discomfort.
- Shaili Singh won the women’s long jump with a 6.28 m effort, admitting it wasn’t her best but still valuing the victory.
- Abdulla Aboobacker took the men’s triple jump title at 16.53 m, bolstering his own World Championships qualification hopes.
- In the men’s javelin, Sri Lanka’s Rumesh Pathirage stole the show with a national record of 86.50 m to qualify directly for Tokyo, while India’s Shivam Lohakare was second at 80.73 m, his second 80 m+ throw this season.
India’s inaugural hosting of a Continental Tour meet has implications beyond immediate results. For athletes like Rani, Sreeshankar, and Aboobacker, it offers high-value ranking points without the fatigue and expense of overseas travel. For younger names like Shahnavaz Khan, it provides a stage to test themselves against international opposition while gaining visibility and confidence.
The Bronze Label status, while the entry level on the Continental Tour, serves as a foundation. Strong organization and competitive performances could pave the way for higher-tier meets in the future, attracting deeper international fields and boosting India’s global athletics footprint.
For Annu Rani, the next few weeks are all about strategic planning. With her ranking now inside the qualifying zone, the priority will be maintaining form while avoiding unnecessary risk. Her recent results suggest that even without hitting the 64 m automatic mark, she can enter Tokyo in competitive shape and with an eye on the podium.
“I’ve got my confidence back,” she said, reflecting on her performances in Poland and Bhubaneswar. “Now it’s about keeping this rhythm and being ready for the big stage.”
Her resurgence, set against the backdrop of India’s own coming-of-age moment as a Continental Tour host, makes for a compelling narrative. Bhubaneswar 2025 may well be remembered not just for its records and medals, but as the launchpad for one of India’s most experienced athletes to make one last major championship statement.
