The spotlight was firmly on the javelin runway at the inaugural World Athletics Continental Tour Bronze meet in Bhubaneswar, as throwers from India and Sri Lanka delivered standout performances in front of an enthusiastic Sunday crowd at the Kalinga Stadium. It was the clutch last jump from Sreeshankar who stole the limelight.
Sri Lanka’s Rumesh Tharanga emerged as the star of the day, hurling the spear to a massive 86.50 m to win gold in the men’s javelin. The 22-year-old’s effort not only surpassed the World Athletics Championships automatic qualification mark of 85.50 m but also eclipsed his previous best of 85.45 m from 2024. His season’s best before this meet stood at 85.41 m.
“I’m thrilled to achieve this mark here in Bhubaneswar,” Tharanga said post-event. “The atmosphere was incredible, and it pushed me to give my best.”
India’s Shivam Lohakare, just 20, produced a spirited performance to take silver with 80.73 m, denying Sri Lanka a one-two finish. Seasoned campaigner Sumedha J. Ranasinghe of Sri Lanka settled for bronze with 80.65 m. Experienced Indian throwers Rohit Yadav (80.35 m), Sachin Yadav (79.80 m), and Yashvir Singh (78.53 m) finished fourth, fifth, and sixth, respectively.
Annu Rani Continues Strong Form
Earlier in the day, Annu Rani added another gold to her glittering career, winning the women’s javelin with a best throw of 62.01 m. After a steady start, the 32-year-old Asian Games champion found her rhythm in the fourth attempt to secure victory.
“This is my second throw over 62 m in a week,” said Rani. “It boosts my confidence ahead of the World Championships in September. Consistency above 60m is what I’ve been aiming for.”
Sri Lanka’s Hatarabag Lekamalage claimed silver with 56.27 m, while India’s Deepika took bronze at 54.20 m.
Sreeshankar Hits Season’s Best
The long jump pit also witnessed a notable highlight as Murali Sreeshankar soared to a season-best 8.13m on his final attempt to win the men’s title. Shahnavaz Khan (8.04 m) and Lokesh Sathyanathan (7.85 m) rounded out the podium.
The meet produced several strong performances on the track:
- Men’s 100m: Muhammad Azeem Bin (Malaysia) clocked 10.35s to edge Sri Lanka’s Chamod M. Yodhasing (10.43s).
- Men’s 200m: Odisha’s Animesh Kujur struck gold with 20.77s, ahead of Korea’s KO Seunghwan (20.95s).
- Men’s 400m: Vishal TK of NCOE Trivandrum blazed to 45.72s for the win, narrowly beating teammate Amoj Jacob (45.86s).
- Men’s 800m: National record holder Mohammad Afsal (Air Force) clocked 1:46.60 for gold, with Maharashtra’s Prakash Gadade close behind (1:47.14).
- Men’s 5000m: Waberi Igueh Houssein (Djibouti) won in 14:05.36, with India’s Abhishek Pal second (14:10.60).
- 4x400m Relay: Sri Lanka topped in 3:00.22, ahead of India A (3:08.37).
Women’s Track and Field
- 100m: Rising star Abinaya Rajarajan (NCOE Trivandrum) claimed gold in 11.57s, edging Sneha SS (11.70s).
- 200m: Angel Silvia M (NCOE Bengaluru) stopped the clock at 23.95s for first place.
- 400m: Vijaykumari GK (Karnataka) led from start to finish, winning in 53.40s.
- 800m: Punjab’s Amandeep Kaur dominated with 2:04.31.
- 1500m: Asian Championships medalist Pooja (Haryana) took gold in 4:15.13.
- 100m Hurdles: Odisha’s Pragyan Prashanti Sahu claimed gold with 13.74s.
- Long Jump: Shaili Singh leapt 6.28 m to top the field, with Bhavani Yadav (6.13 m) and Sandra Babu (6.10 m) close behind.
Prize Purse
The top four finishers in each event were rewarded, with winners earning $800, runners-up $400, third place $300, and fourth place $200 a structure aimed at incentivizing top performances and drawing elite participation.
The inaugural Indian Open WACT Bronze meet not only showcased elite talent from across Asia but also underlined Bhubaneswar’s growing reputation as a hub for top-tier athletics. Between Rumesh Tharanga’s record-breaking javelin, Annu Rani’s consistent throws, and Murali Sreeshankar’s season-best leap, the day belonged to the field athletes, making it truly a “javelin throwers’ day out” in Odisha’s sporting capital.
