KISHORE JENA
Age: 28
DOB: September 6, 1995
Sport: Javelin
Birthplace: Brahmagiri
MEDAL RECORDS
| Tournament |  |  |  |
|---|---|---|---|
| Olympics | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| World Championships | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Asian Games | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| Commonwealth Games | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Diamond League | 0 | 0 | 0 |
About KISHORE JENA
Born to paddy farmers in the Kothasahi village of the Puri district in Odisha, Jena was initially passionate about volleyball. However, he quit the sport primarily due to his short height and facing rejection from a sports hostel before taking up javelin. Kishore Jena is an Asian Games silver medalist and has the second-longest javelin throw by an Indian after Neeraj Chopra.
Early Life and Background
Kishore Kumar Jena is the youngest of seven children, with six older sisters. In one interviews, he said that his mother Harapriya is the main person behind his success. His love for sports started primarily as a means to support his family. In an effort to do so, Jena chose sports as a career option, with the just one goal of securing a job in the Indian Army through the sports quota. Jena was introduced to javelin by Laxman Baral, a former Odisha state champion. Baral gifted him a hand-made javelin made of bamboo, which cost Rs 250.
Paris Olympics News
KISHORE JENA Pictures
Personal Life
Born into a poor family, Jena initially faced issues affording javelin equipment. He asked his father for Rs. 28,000 to get one. To fulfill his son’s wish, the father collected money from various women’s associations and purchased a javelin with the collected amount. Jena has been employed at the Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) in Bhopal since 2018.
Career Highlights
Major Achievements:
- Asian Games Silver (2023)
- World No. 7 in javelin
Awards and Recognitions
- Asian Games – Silver medal (2023)
- World Athletics Championships – Fifth (2023)
- Personal best – 87.54m (second-best mark by an Indian javelin thrower)
Road to Paris Olympics 2024
Qualifying Events
Kishore Jena got his ticket to the Paris Olympics via direct entry, as the qualifying cutoff is 85.50 m. Jena clinched the qualification with an 86.77-meter throw at the Hangzhou Asian Games last year. During that event, he marked 87.54 m, just behind Neeraj Chopra’s mark of 89.94 m at the Stockholm Diamond League in June 2022.
Training and Preparation
After joining India’s Olympics camp for Paris 2024, Jena has been consistently training at the Netaji Subhas National Institute of Sports (NSNIS) in Patiala. He also participated in the Doha Premier League, where he secured the 9th spot with a best throw of 76.31m.
Events at Paris Olympics 2024
Men’s Javelin Throw Schedule
| Date | Rounds | Venue |
| August 6, 2024 (1:50 PM IST) | Javelin Throw (Round 1) | Stade de France |
| August 7, 2024 (1:50 PM IST) | Javelin Throw (Round 1) | Stade de France |
| August 8, 2024 (12:00 AM IST) | Javelin Throw (Final) | Stade de France |
Quotes and Interviews
Future Prospects
Since India has been performing well in track and field events, especially since the Tokyo 2020 Olympics where Neeraj Chopra became the first Indian track and field athlete to win a gold medal, Jena believes that India can secure more medals in this category. Kaushik Jena believes that the Paris 2024 Olympics are a time for turnaround, and his entire focus is on this rather than future plans.
Conclusion
If Kishore Jena manages to get a PB at the Olympics 2024, he could be a medal contender for sure.
