On a warm day in Patiala at the Indian Open Throws competition, the hammer whirled through the air with a familiar rhythm. For years, Damneet Singh had chased a number that seemed both close and distant the elusive 70-metre mark.
When the hammer finally landed at 70.64 metres, the moment was not just a personal milestone but a statement for Indian athletics.
What made it even more remarkable was that Damneet did not cross the barrier once. He did it three times in six throws 70.64m, 70.21m and 70.04m underlining that the breakthrough was no fluke. His best throw left him just nine centimetres short of the national record of 70.73m, set by Neeraj Kumar in 2016.
For Damneet, the performance was the culmination of years of persistence, technical refinement and belief.
“I feel very good,” he said with a calm smile when reflecting on the milestone. “My first target was to break the 70-metre barrier. That was always in my mind. Once that happens, the next targets will follow.”
A Barrier That Defined Indian Hammer Throw
In Indian hammer throw circles, the 70-metre mark has long been a psychological benchmark. For Damneet, it represented something similar to what the 90-metre barrier is in javelin throw.
“Seventy metres was like the 90-metre barrier for Neeraj Chopra,” he explained. “Once you cross it, you feel that you belong among the best.”
The Indian Open Throws performance also saw Damneet breach the Athletics Federation of India’s Asian Games qualification mark four times in six attempts, further reinforcing his readiness to compete at the continental level. But despite the near miss of the national record, the 27-year-old remained composed about what lies ahead.
“The national record will come,” he said. “For me, the most important thing was to break 70 metres first. Now we will focus on going further.”
From Sprinting to the Hammer Circle
Damneet’s journey into hammer throw was not pre-planned. Like many young athletes in India, he began his sporting career experimenting with different events.
“I actually started with 200 metres running,” he recalled. “That was the event I trained for in the beginning.”
But fate intervened when his father suggested he try hammer throw. Initially, it was simply another event to explore, but the mechanics and rhythm of the hammer gradually began to fascinate him.
“I started hammer throw in 2013,” Damneet said. “My father encouraged me to try it. Slowly I started enjoying the event and realised that I had the strength and technique for it.”
From those early experiments, the hammer throw circle became his world — a space where timing, balance and power combine in a complex dance.
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Hammer throw is one of the most technical events in athletics. Unlike sprinting or jumping, where improvements can be more visible in shorter cycles, hammer throw demands years of gradual refinement. For Damneet, progress was never linear. There were periods of improvement followed by stagnation, technical adjustments and the constant battle to maintain strength and conditioning.
But the key, he believes, was persistence.
“In hammer throw, everything depends on rhythm and technique,” he said. “You have to keep working on small details footwork, balance, the way you accelerate the hammer.”
The breakthrough performance in Patiala was therefore the result of countless hours in training fields, perfecting those small details.
Before this season’s resurgence, Damneet had spent time away from the international spotlight. Injuries, competition gaps and the challenges of staying competitive in a demanding sport had slowed his progress.
But 2025 marked a turning point.
At the South Asian Athletics Federation (SAAF) Championships in Ranchi, Damneet delivered a powerful comeback performance to win gold in the hammer throw, announcing his return to form.
“That competition gave me confidence,” he said. “It showed that I was on the right path again.”
The victory served as a stepping stone toward the Indian Open Throws meet, where everything finally clicked.
Damneet credits the support system around him, particularly the role played by the Reliance Foundation, in helping him reach this stage of his career.
Through structured support that included access to better training facilities, exposure to high-performance environments, and consistent backing during crucial phases of his development, the foundation helped him focus entirely on improving his craft. For an event like hammer throw, where technical progress requires years of patience and stability, such institutional support becomes invaluable.
Damneet believes that having an organisation backing his journey not only eased logistical challenges but also allowed him to train with greater confidence as he pursued bigger distances and international standards.
At Patiala, Damneet’s second attempt the 70.64m throw was the highlight of the day. It immediately put him within touching distance of the national record. What impressed observers even more was his consistency. Crossing 70 metres three times in a single competition suggested that Damneet had entered a new level of performance. It also marked the best hammer throw distance by an Indian athlete since June 2016.
For Indian athletics, where hammer throw has historically struggled for visibility compared to events like javelin or sprinting, Damneet’s performance provided a welcome boost.
Chasing the National Record
Despite missing the national record by just nine centimetres, Damneet is not obsessed with the number. Instead, he views it as a natural milestone on the path to larger goals.
“If you focus too much on records, it can create pressure,” he said. “The important thing is to keep improving your throws.”
Still, many observers believe it is only a matter of time before he surpasses Neeraj Kumar’s decade-old mark. Given his current form, a throw beyond 71 metres seems within reach and perhaps even further distances if his technique continues to evolve.
Another major takeaway from the Patiala performance was Damneet’s qualification for the Asian Games standard. Competing at the continental level is a key objective for him in the coming seasons.
“The Asian Games is a big target,” he said. “Performing well there is important not just for me but for Indian hammer throw.”
Historically, Indian athletes have struggled to challenge the dominant throwers from countries like China, Japan and Tajikistan in the event. But Damneet believes that with the right preparation and exposure, Indian athletes can bridge that gap.
Building a Future for Indian Hammer Throw
Beyond personal goals, Damneet is aware that his performances can inspire younger throwers in India. Hammer throw remains a relatively niche discipline in the country, often overshadowed by more popular events. However, strong performances at national competitions and international tournaments can gradually change perceptions.
“If young athletes see good results, they will start taking up the event,” he said. “That is how every sport grows.”
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For Damneet Singh, the 70-metre barrier was a milestone that had been years in the making. Crossing it three times in one competition proved that the breakthrough was not accidental. It was the product of patience, resilience and an unwavering belief in his abilities.
With the Asian Games qualification secured, a national record within touching distance, and renewed momentum in his career, the next phase promises even greater possibilities. As the hammer continues to spin in the throwing circle, Damneet is no longer chasing the 70-metre barrier.
He has already left it behind.
