Lebanon national championships

Lebanon National Championships: Javelin thrower Kishore Jena, holder of the second-longest throw by an Indian, is aiming to achieve his personal best at his Olympic debut in Paris 2024.

Jena's story is unique. After stepping away from the sport for three years to focus on his job with the CISF, it was Neeraj Chopra's Olympic success that motivated him to return. "My journey in javelin began in 2014-15. For over 20 years, our state record for a javelin throw was 65m. Then in September 2017, I broke the 20-year-old record with a 72.77m throw. That gave me confidence. In 2018, I got employed by CISF through the sports quota. Between 2018-2020, I prioritised my job and focused on helping my family over playing the sport," said Jena on JioCinema's 'The Dreamers'.

The turning point came after Chopra’s gold medal win at Tokyo 2020. "When Neeraj won at the Olympics, we celebrated and enjoyed his victory. But honestly, the victory also left me dejected because I too was playing the same sport. I felt it was time for me to achieve something in sports. My coach at CISF suggested that if I try and nail a 75m throw, he would help me get into the national camp. My hard work and spirit helped me achieve 76.4m, which got me in," Jena recounted.