Not intimidated by the large stage or the large names, the diminutive Odisha athlete put up a present to recollect with a private finest throw of 84.77m on an evening when for the time in historical past three Indians competed collectively within the remaining of a single occasion of the world athletics meet.
Taking inspiration from Neeraj Chopra, who gave him confidence between the throws, Jena saved going the space with each throw. “We saved speaking in between the throws. After I got here again from one of many throws, he simply instructed me, ‘Don’t be concerned an excessive amount of, it will likely be higher the following time’,” stated Jena from the airport in Munich on Monday.
Whereas Jena was very happy together with his exhibiting, he’s already wanting ahead to the Asian Video games and desires to do even higher there. And he’s in no temper to relaxation. He can be going straight to Patiala after reaching New Delhi and begin getting ready together with his coach Samarjeet Singh Malhi, who deserves a lot of the credit score for serving to Jena attain the large stage.
The journey, nonetheless, hasn’t been a stroll within the park for Jena, the son of a rice farmer from Kothasahi Village of Puri district. A volleyball participant in his youth, Jena began javelin solely in 2015 after his quick top made it tough for him to enhance.
“A trial was held at Kalinga Stadium in Bhubaneswar then, since I had tried my fingers at javelin earlier than, I went forward with it and was chosen,” Jena had stated forward of the World Championships.
Initially, he skilled at Odisha Sports activities Hostel below Nilamadhab Deo. Later, in 2018, he received a job in Central Industrial Safety Power (CISF) and shifted to Bhopal the place he skilled below Jagbir Singh. However regardless of all of the arduous work, his efficiency did not enhance until 2021.
Nonetheless, after Neeraj received the gold at Tokyo Olympics, it impressed him and pushed him to do higher. It was then that he received the javelin problem in New Delhi in October 2021. It not solely received him a spot within the nationwide camp but additionally gave him the chance to work below coach Samarjeet.
“To start with, he was involved about his top however I saved reminding him it was nothing to be nervous about and made all the mandatory modifications to his method,” Samarjeet had stated.
The modifications included rising his distance of working from 14m to 22-23m, shifting his grip in direction of the again and rectifying the angle of his physique whereas throwing. All these labored wonders for Jena as he threw a private better of 78.05 at Nationwide Open Athletics Championships in Bengaluru in October 2022.
It did not cease there as he saved enhancing by leaps and bounds as the brand new yr started.
He threw 78.93m at Indian Open Throws Competitors in Bellary on March 1 and 19 days later broke the 80m-mark with a throw of 81.05m at Indian Grand Prix in Trivandrum.
Though he didn’t go previous the 80m mark within the subsequent three meets, Jena got here again with a bang on the Nationwide Inter-State Championships in June with a throw of 82.87m. Then, at Sri Lankan Championships in July, he went onto win the occasion with a throw of 84.38m, his then private finest, and qualify for the Worlds.
And now on the worlds he has bettered his present as soon as once more and one can solely anticipate him to go even longer within the coming days.
