The Women’s Javelin throw at the South Asian Junior Athletics Championship 2024 saw a dominant performance by Deepika from Bangaon, Haryana. With only three competitors in the event, all participants were guaranteed a medal. Deepika showcased her exceptional skills, consistently exceeding the 50m mark with all six of her throws. Her throws dwarfed those of her competitors, most of whom struggled to surpass 50 metres and landed in the range of 30-40 metres.
Deepika’s best throw of 54.98m earned her the gold medal, shattering the previous meet record of 48.08m. Her training partner, Poonam, secured silver with a commendable throw of 51.21m. Sri Lanka’s W.G. Nisansala Madubash, despite only having two valid throws, managed to secure bronze with her best throw reaching 35.02m.
Deepika’s remarkable talent is evident. Earlier this year, she secured gold at the Khelo India Youth Games 2024 with a personal best throw of 56.79m. Unfortunately, illness prevented her from competing in the 2024 World Athletics U20 Championships in Lima, Peru. However, her coach, Hanuman Singh, believes that had she been at her best, she could have secured a podium finish. China’s Ziyi Yan won gold in that event with a throw of 63.05m, while Pin-Hsun Chu of Chinese Taipei took silver with a throw of 54.28m.
Hanuman Singh, who has been training Deepika since her childhood, is optimistic about her future, stating that she has always demonstrated consistency and discipline. They are working towards reaching a crucial milestone of crossing the 60m mark by 2025, with their sights set on the Commonwealth Games in 2026 and the Olympics in 2028.
Despite being India’s top player in her category, Deepika maintains a calm and reserved demeanor. Between her throws, she was seen calmly sipping her drink, showing little outward emotion. Her interaction with the media was minimal, as she politely informed broadcasters and reporters that she would only answer one question. When asked about her performance, she simply said, “I came here to break the record.”
Poonam, another promising athlete who has been training under Hanuman for a shorter period, is showing continuous improvement. She achieved a breakthrough in this competition, surpassing the 50m mark for the first time. Hanuman is confident that both athletes are on a steady path towards even greater achievements.
