London, Aug 11: Unheralded javelin thrower Davinder Singh Kang pipped a more-fancied Neeraj Chopra to become the first Indian to qualify for a final in this edition of the World Athletics Championship.
Kang’s participation in the World Championships had been in doubt after he tested positive for marijuana in June but he was named in the 25-member Indian team as the banned substance was in the specified list of the WADA Code and does not attract automatic suspension.
“After I came to know that Neeraj did not qualify, I wanted to qualify for the final round. I wanted to do something for the country, I wanted to do something which no Indian has done before. By the grace of God, I did something for the country,” Kang said after his event.
No Indian has ever qualified in the men’s javelin throw final round in any World Championships and Kang’s performance brought some relief for the Indian camp, which has put up a shoddy show at the global event.
While it was Chopra, a junior World Champion, who was touted as India’s biggest hope, it ended up being Kang who came out from nowhere to attain the qualifying mark of 83m with his third and final throw that cleared a distance of 84.22m.
Chopra’s best effort of 82.26m was slightly short of the qualifying mark.
Coming into the championships, Chopra was the cynosure of all eyes for the Indian contingent as he was considered the best bet for a top class show. His best effort came in his first qualifying throw.
He fouled his second attempt before clearing only 80.54m in his third and final throw to finish seventh in his group and 15th overall.
In fact, the 19-year-old World Junior record holder’s maiden World Championships ended with just three throws.
Taking the field after Chopra in the Group B qualification round, Kang sent the iron spear to a distance of 84.22m in his third and final attempt.
He had covered 82.22m in his opening throw and then came up with 82.14m in his second.
The 26-year-old Punjab athlete was under pressure to touch the 83m in his final attempt and he was the last man in that round.
All the throwers, who cleared 83m or at least the 12 best performers, were set to make it to the final round to be held on August 12.
But in the end, 13 throwers — five from Group A and eight from Group B — crossed the automatic qualification mark and all of them will compete in the final round.
Kang’s best effort of 84.22m put him in the seventh position among the final round qualifiers.
It was, however, not a surprise for Kang to qualify for the final round as he has a personal as well as season’s best of 84.57m.
Kang had heavy strapping on his right shoulder due to an injury he carried into the Championship but is confident of putting up a good show in the finals on Saturday.
“I have been carrying a right shoulder injury which I sustained in May during the Indian Grand Prix but it is not that a big problem. Our team masseur put these straps today and I am OK. But I had to ask my friend Sri Lankan competitor (Waruna Rankoth Pedige) to help me with some stretching before my third and final throw,” Kang said.
“It (injury) will be all right after a day’s rest. I want to give my best in the final round on August 12 and win a medal for the country,” he asserted.
Neeraj came into the championship with high hopes and he was considered the best bet for India to have any shot at a medal. His season’s best of 85.63m put him at 14th in the IAAF rankings coming into the World Championships.
He has a personal best of 86.48m, which he managed while setting a junior world record last year.
He had three 85m throws this season and his two Diamond League appearances in Paris and Monaco last month — where he had finished fifth and seventh respectively — had given him confidence after rubbing shoulders with some of the best in the world.
However, he failed to make it count at the second most prestigious event in the sport after the Olympics.
“I tried my best but I could not clear the automatic qualification mark and I am disappointed. I gave a lot of effort in the first throw but it missed the 83m mark by a few centimeters. I have been training hard for this World Championships but I could not do well in the actual competition,” Chopra said after the event.
“It would have been ideal if a coach had come with me but that is not in my hands. I don’t know what had happened today, I cannot say now whether it was technical issue or other factors,” he added. (PTI)
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