Triple gold now for Devendra Jhajharia?

India’s para javelin champion Devendra Jhajharia breaks world record during trials in New Delhi; confident of winning third gold medal at Tokyo Games

Devendra Jhajharia is making a habit of winning gold medals by breaking his own world records.

At the 2004 Athens Paralympics, competing in the F44/46 category, the Rajasthan para javelin star set a new record of 62.15m as his spear comfortably eclipsed the previous mark of 59.77m.

Jhajharia, whose left hand had to be amputated after coming in contact with a high-voltage cable when he was just eight, had to wait for eight years after his 2004 feat, as his category was not part of the 2008 Beijing Games and the 2012 London Paralympics.

And once the F46 category was back at the 2016 Rio Paralympics, Jhajharia improved his own record by hurling the spear across 63.97m to clinch his second gold.

Jhajharia looks set for a third gold at the Tokyo Paralympics to be held from August 24 to September 5. 

During the selection trials at the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium in New Delhi, on Wednesday, he bettered his world mark by hurling the javelin across 65.71m and booked his Tokyo berth. Although this is an unofficial record, his terrific form is an indicator that a third gold medal is on the cards. 

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‘It’s my process’

“Throwing the javelin is the only thing I have known to do in my life. So, all the time I think of ways to get better at it. I analysed what was missing in my game in 2004 and tried to overcome it the next time I competed. It’s my process. That’s how I manage to better my own performances,” Jhajharia, 40, told mid-day from New Delhi on Thursday.

Given his age, some doubted his ability to qualify for Tokyo. “For me, age is just a number. I don’t pay too much attention to it. Your attitude is most important. Some exercises get difficult with age, but steadily I have managed to do them. It’s all about positivity. If you start your day with a negative mindset, then nothing will work for you,” said Jhajharia, who trains at the Sports Authority Centre in Gandhinagar, Gujarat.

Tough lockdown

The Coronavirus-induced lockdown was tough on Jhajharia, a Padma Shri awardee, who recently also lost his father, Ram Singh, to cancer. 

“The lockdown was the toughest phase in my career as there was no opportunity to train outside. For the first time, I was unable to touch my javelin. However, I kept doing my fitness work indoors. It was tough and my coach [Sunil Tanwar] ensured I did not put on any weight throughout. My training has gone well and I hope to clinch my third gold at the Tokyo Paralympics,” Jhajharia signed off.

Saroha, Sandeep qualify for Paralympics

Asian Para Games gold medallists Amit Kumar Saroha and Sandeep Chaudhary have qualified for the Tokyo Paralympics, the former after battling a recent bout of Covid-19 infection.

Two-time Paralympian Saroha will be representing the country in the F51 category in the discus throw and club throw. F51 refers to limb deficiency, leg length difference, impaired muscle power or impaired range of movement.

Chaudhary, on the other hand, will be competing in the F-44 (lower limb competing without prosthesis affected by limb deficiency, leg length difference, impaired muscle power or impaired passive range of movement) javelin throw event at the Tokyo Paralympics, to be held from August 24 to September 5.

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