Kishore Jena, the first athlete from Odisha to represent India in the finals of the prestigious World Athletics Championship, was given a warm reception on his return to the state. He represented India in the javelin throw in the World Athletics Championship at Budapest last month. Sports Director Siddhartha Das and several officials were present at Biju Patnaik International Airport on Friday to extend an enthusiastic welcome to the athlete. Kishore Jena emerged among the top five in the finals making an impression amongst the athletics fraternity of India.
He made his journey from the Sports Hostel in Bhubaneswar to the world stage.
"The state government has pledged unwavering support to Kishore's continued journey towards excellence in the world of athletics," a release said
“Kishore Jena's remarkable achievements are a testament to the immense talent that exists in Odisha. His success story serves as a beacon of hope and inspiration for aspiring athletes, proving that with relentless dedication and hard work, they too can reach the pinnacles of success on the global stage,” Das said.
Jena was thrust into the spotlight with a personal best of 84.77m in Budapest.
It was for first time that three Indians competed together in the final of a single event at the World Athletics meet.
(This story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)