Odisha javelin thrower Kishore Kumar Jena qulified for the 2023 Hangzhou Asian Games by bettering the qualifying mark of 78.23 metres in the preliminary round of the 62nd National Inter State Senior Athletics Championship at Kalinga Stadium in Bhubaneswar today. He was the best among 20 competitors, hurling the spear to a distance of 79.96 metres.

The javelin final will take place on the final day tomorrow. Vikrant Malik, another javelin thrower from Odisha also qualified for the final, finishing eighth in the preliminary round with a throw of 72.88 metres.

Odisha woman Olympian Srabani Nanda stayed on course for her third medal in the ongoing championship by securing first position in 200m preliminary heat-2 with a time of 24.31 seconds.

Among other Odisha athletes, woman long jumper Manisha Merel finished joint 12th in preliminary round with an effort of 5.82 metres. She, however, qualified for the final. In women 400m hurdles, Jauna Murmu from Odisha finished sixth in preliminary heat-2, clocking 1:03.69 seconds.
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PHOTO: Odisha Olympian Srabani Nanda in action during preliminary heat of the women 200m event in Bhubaneswar on 18 June 2023.