WAC 2023: India’s Contrasting Campaign Concludes With Rewarding Last Day

Albeit India will return with a solitary medal from the 2023 WAC, there are positives aplenty to cherish.

World Athletics Championships: India return with a solitary medal, but positives aplenty.

(Photo: Twitter/AFIIndia, PTI, altered by The Quint)

After what has been a contrasting campaign, with some pleasing surprises, a few rather unexpected disappointments, and a historic triumph, the Indian contingent signed off from the 2023 World Athletics Championships on the perfect note – with the nation’s first-ever gold medal.

Neeraj Chopra, who had previously won gold medals in the Olympics, Asian Games and Commonwealth Games, essentially ‘completed’ his to-do list in the sport with his second medal, and first gold medal, at the World Athletics Championships. An 88.17m throw helped him achieve this feat.

Whilst the other two Indian javelin throwers who reached the final – Kishore Jena and DP Manu – could not make it to the podium, they did well to not only meet expectations, but perhaps, transcend those.

Jena, the 27-year-old from Odisha, finished fifth with an 84.77m attempt, which also happens to be his personal best. DP Manu, the youngster from Karnataka, finished a place beneath with an 84.14m attempt – a significant leap from his 81.01m tally at the 2023 Asian Athletics Championships, which won him the silver medal.

Steeplechaser Parul Chaudhary finished outside the top ten in the final of women’s 3000m steeplechase, in the 11th position, but India’s second-ever female finalist in a World Championships track event created a national record with a timing of 9:15.31.

The men’s 4x400m relay team – comprising Muhammed Anas, Muhammed Ajmal, Amoj Jacob and Rajesh Ramesh – who created an Asian record in the qualification round, stood fifth in the final with a timing of 2:59.92.

Earlier in the competition, long jumper Jeswin Aldrin made it to the final round as well, before finishing 11th. However, fellow long jumper Murali Sreeshankar, who happens to be an Asian Championships and Commonwealth Games medallist, could not make it past the qualification round.

Along similar lines, Jyothi Yarraji, who arrived in Budapest after winning two medals at the Asian Championships, could not qualify for the final round.

How Indian Athletes Fared at the 2023 World Athletics Championships:

• Javelin Throw:

Neeraj Chopra – Gold

Kishore Jena – 5th

DP Manu – 6th

Annu Rani – Didn’t qualify for the final round 

• Long Jump:

Jeswin Aldrin – 11th

Murali Sreeshankar – Didn’t qualify for the final round

Shaili Singh – Didn’t qualify for the final round 

• Triple Jump:

Praveen Chitravel – Didn’t qualify for the final round

Abdullah Aboobacker – Didn’t qualify for the final round

Eldhose Paul – Didn’t qualify for the final round

• High Jump: Sarvesh Kushare – Didn’t qualify for the final round

• 800m: Krishan Kumar – Didn’t qualify for the final round

• 1500m: Ajay Saroj – Didn’t qualify for the final round

• 100m hurdles: Jyothi Yarraji – Didn’t qualify for the final round

• 400m hurdles: Santhosh Kumar Tamilarasan – Didn’t qualify for the final round

• 3000m steeplechase:

Parul Chaudhary – 11th 

Avinash Sable – Didn’t qualify for the final round

• 35km walk: Ram Baboo – Didn’t qualify for the final round

• 20km walk:

Akashdeep Singh – Didn’t qualify for the final round

Vikash Singh – Didn’t qualify for the final round

Paramjeet Singh Bisht – Didn’t qualify for the final round

• 4x400m relay: Muhammed Anas, Muhammed Ajmal, Amoj Jacob, Rajesh Ramesh, Arul Rajalingam, Mijo Chacko Kurian – 5th