Nagoya: Damneet Singh finished ninth with a best throw of 67.56m, while Praveen Kumar placed 11th with 65.24m in the men’s hammer throw final at the Asian Games. Both Indians were making their debut at the continental Games.
For Damneet, the result marked a disappointing end to a season in which he had demonstrated the ability to compete at a significantly higher level.
Damneet Singh Falls Short of 70m Mark
The 22-year-old produced the biggest breakthrough of his senior career in March at the Indian Open Throws, where he crossed the 70m mark for the first time, recording three throws beyond the distance in the same competition.
He opened with 70.64m, followed by 70.21m on his third attempt and 70.04m on his fifth.
The performance also took him beyond the Asian Games qualification standard of 69.12m, marking a significant milestone for a thrower working to establish himself at the senior level.
However, maintaining that level proved difficult in the months that followed.
Eighth Place at Németh Pál Memorial in Hungary
In August, Damneet competed at the Németh Pál Memorial, a World Athletics Continental Tour Silver-level meeting in Hungary.
He finished eighth in the eight-athlete final with a best throw of 66.67m.
His series included 66.67m, 65.92m, 65.52m and 66.14m, followed by two fouls.
Croatia’s Matija Gregurić won the competition with a throw of 74.85m.
Damneet Finishes Ninth at Asian Games
At the Asian Games, Damneet once again fell short of the 70m mark.
His opening throw of 67.56m remained his best effort, leaving him outside the top eight and ending his competition after three attempts.
Praveen Kumar, who was also making his Asian Games debut, recorded 65.24m to finish 11th.
Both Indians fell short of the performances they would have wanted in the final.
Damneet’s 70m Throws Offer Encouragement
Despite the disappointing result in Nagoya, Damneet’s season includes a significant marker of progress.
His three throws beyond 70m at the Indian Open Throws in March demonstrated that he has the distance required to compete at this level.
The next challenge is consistency.
The Asian Games marked Damneet’s first appearance at a major continental championship. While his ninth-place finish was not the result he would have wanted, his performances earlier in the season showed that the 70m barrier is within his reach.
For now, the men’s hammer throw final in Nagoya ends with 67.56m and ninth place for Damneet Singh, while Praveen Kumar finishes 11th with 65.24m.
Neither performance was enough to reach the top eight, but the experience gives both first-time Asian Games competitors another reference point as they continue to develop.