Odisha Javelin Star Kishore Jena Set For Diamond League Debut; Neeraj Chopra Among Strong Field

Bhubaneswar: Odisha’s star javelin thrower Kishore Jena had a stellar season in 2023. And he’s determined to carry the momentum into the new season.

The 28-year-old will be making his Diamond League debut at Doha on May 10, reported PTI.

The Diamond League is a series of 15 invitational elite track and field competitions bringing together the world’s best athletes. The League is considered to be the most prestigious event besides the Olympics and World Championships.

Jena, who finished fifth in the 2023 Budapest World Championships and bagged silver in the Hangzhou Asian Games with a personal best of 87.54 metres, will be motivated to produce his best in a top-class field which includes fellow-Indian and the redoubtable Neeraj Chopra.

Reigning Olympic and World champion Neeraj will kick off his season in Doha, where he will be against well-known rivals like Czech Jakub Vadlejch and former World champion Anderson Peters of Grenada, besides Jena.

“This year, my personal goal is to defend my Olympic title, but it would also mean a lot to me to break the 90m barrier. The Doha Meeting, with good conditions and a great atmosphere, is a perfect opportunity to get my season off to the best start,” said Chopra, who has a personal best of 89.94 metres.

The first two Diamond League meetings of the 2024 — in Xiamen and Shanghai — did not include men’s javelin.