Fast bowler-turned javelin thrower Manoj Kumar breaks 80m mark
CHENNAI: There was no dedicated coach to guide Manoj Kumar when he began his javelin journey. For the first two years after shifting from pole vault during Covid pandemic, the Tamil Nadu youngster relied on videos of javelin legends Jan Zelezny and Andreas Thorkildsen to learn the intricacies of the event. Years later, the 21-year-old from Tiruchirappalli has breached the 80m mark, a significant milestone in Indian javelin.
Manoj threw 80.73m to win silver at Indian Athletics Series final in New Delhi on Thursday, finishing a rung above Commonwealth Games bronze medallist Yashvir Singh. He also became the first TN athlete to cross the 80m mark.
“I could have done better in good conditions, but I had elbow pain after my second throw. Since I have other competitions, I did not push myself much. Competing against top Indian throwers gave me a good experience,” Manoj, who currently trains at Army Sports Institute (ASI) in Pune, told TOI.
“When I started javelin, I used to train using coconut tree branches. I am a fast bowler and played tennis-ball cricket in my village, so I have natural arm speed. However, I did not know about technique and had to train under a sprint coach, who used to only help me with my physical fitness. I watched Zelezny’s videos a lot for two years, but since there was no one to guide me, I did not know what mistakes I was making. He (Zelezny) had natural speed, and I have it too, so I learnt to control my run-up and maximise my speed. From Thorkildsen, I learnt how to maintain rhythm,” Manoj, also inspired by Neeraj Chopra’s work ethics, added.
At the beginning, Manoj used to train with low-quality javelins as he did not have money to buy better ones. “I experienced pain in my elbow for about a year but did not know how to manage it, despite undergoing physiotherapy. Only during competitions, I got to throw with better javelins, borrowing them from my fellow competitors.”
A turning point came in 2024 when Manoj came under the guidance of NIS throws coach Santhosh Kumar of the Sports Development Authority of Tamil Nadu (SDAT) in Ariyalur. Since then, the youngster has been on an upward curve. It was Santhosh, a former coach in Army, who recommended Manoj for trials at the Army Sports Institute (ASI) and he has been training in Pune for the past one month.
Further, Manoj had to take a five-month break last year after suffering a ruptured appendix. He underwent laparoscopic surgery and on his comeback this year, registered 75.18m, 77.82m in domestic meets before entering the 80m club.
The last couple of months have been good for TN javelin. Recently, T Dharanidharan became the first javelin thrower from the state to compete in a World Championships (senior or junior) and went on to finish a respectable sixth in the U-20 section. Now, Manoj has raised the bar with an 80m-plus throw. There are many more waiting in the fray, and these performances will motivate them to reach greater heights.
Manoj threw 80.73m to win silver at Indian Athletics Series final in New Delhi on Thursday, finishing a rung above Commonwealth Games bronze medallist Yashvir Singh. He also became the first TN athlete to cross the 80m mark.
“I could have done better in good conditions, but I had elbow pain after my second throw. Since I have other competitions, I did not push myself much. Competing against top Indian throwers gave me a good experience,” Manoj, who currently trains at Army Sports Institute (ASI) in Pune, told TOI.
“When I started javelin, I used to train using coconut tree branches. I am a fast bowler and played tennis-ball cricket in my village, so I have natural arm speed. However, I did not know about technique and had to train under a sprint coach, who used to only help me with my physical fitness. I watched Zelezny’s videos a lot for two years, but since there was no one to guide me, I did not know what mistakes I was making. He (Zelezny) had natural speed, and I have it too, so I learnt to control my run-up and maximise my speed. From Thorkildsen, I learnt how to maintain rhythm,” Manoj, also inspired by Neeraj Chopra’s work ethics, added.
At the beginning, Manoj used to train with low-quality javelins as he did not have money to buy better ones. “I experienced pain in my elbow for about a year but did not know how to manage it, despite undergoing physiotherapy. Only during competitions, I got to throw with better javelins, borrowing them from my fellow competitors.”
A turning point came in 2024 when Manoj came under the guidance of NIS throws coach Santhosh Kumar of the Sports Development Authority of Tamil Nadu (SDAT) in Ariyalur. Since then, the youngster has been on an upward curve. It was Santhosh, a former coach in Army, who recommended Manoj for trials at the Army Sports Institute (ASI) and he has been training in Pune for the past one month.
Further, Manoj had to take a five-month break last year after suffering a ruptured appendix. He underwent laparoscopic surgery and on his comeback this year, registered 75.18m, 77.82m in domestic meets before entering the 80m club.
The last couple of months have been good for TN javelin. Recently, T Dharanidharan became the first javelin thrower from the state to compete in a World Championships (senior or junior) and went on to finish a respectable sixth in the U-20 section. Now, Manoj has raised the bar with an 80m-plus throw. There are many more waiting in the fray, and these performances will motivate them to reach greater heights.
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