Kishore Jena pulls out of NC Classic due to injury, Yashvir to replace him

Bengaluru, Jun 30 (PTI) Struggling with an ankle injury, Kishore Jena has pulled out of Saturday's Neeraj Chopra Classic international javelin event and will be replaced by Yashvir Singh, the organisers announced on Monday.

The 23-year-old Yashvir had finished second in the Federation Cup in April and fifth in the Asian Athletics Championships in South Korea in May with a personal best of 82.57m.

"Kishore Jena has been ruled out of the Neeraj Chopra Classic 2025 due to an ankle injury. Yashvir Singh has been named as his replacement in the final lineup," the organisers of NC Classic said in an official update.

On June 6, Poland's Martin Konecny had replaced Asian Games bronze medallist Genki Dean of Japan as the organisers confirmed the 12-man entry list for the rescheduled event.

India's first-ever international javelin competition, originally slated for May 24, was postponed due to military tensions between India and Pakistan.

Organised by double Olympic medallist Neeraj Chopra in collaboration with JSW Sports and sanctioned by the Athletics Federation of India (AFI), the event will feature a world-class field comprising seven top international throwers and five Indian athletes, including Chopra himself.

Apart from Konecny, the confirmed international lineup includes two-time world champion Anderson Peters (Grenada), 2016 Olympic gold medallist Thomas Röhler (Germany), 2015 world champion Julius Yego (Kenya), Curtis Thompson (USA), Luiz Mauricio da Silva (Brazil), and Rumesh Pathirage (Sri Lanka).

The Indian contingent will feature Asian Championships silver medallist Sachin Yadav, Rohit Yadav, and Sahil Silwal.

Initially set to be held in Panchkula, the event has been relocated to the Sree Kanteerava Stadium in Bengaluru due to lighting limitations at the original venue that affected live telecast capabilities.

The event, granted Category A status by World Athletics, is considered a "dream project" of Chopra and aims to establish India as a credible host of elite-level athletics events.

It had to be postponed following the terror attack in Pahalgam that claimed the lives of 26 civilians, including several tourists.

According to the organisers, ticket prices will range from Rs 199 to Rs 9,999. Premium experiences include five corporate boxes, each accommodating 15 guests, priced at Rs 44,999.

A special stand next to the thrower’s runway is available for Rs 9,999, while another premium section in the North Upper Stand, just behind the runway, is priced at Rs 2,999. PTI PDS PDS APA APA