Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik has announced a cash award of Rs 1.5 crore for javelin thrower Kishore Kumar Jena who has clinched a silver medal at the ongoing Asian Games in Hangzhou, China. With a personal best of 87.54m, Kishore has also qualified for Paris Olympics.
With this silver, Kishore has created a historic moment for the state and country and brought laurels for the nation and will remain etched in the sports history of the country, the Chief Minister’s Office said in a statement.
“The award is in recognition of his stellar performance, his perseverance and determination. I congratulate him on his win at the Asian Games and also qualifying for the Paris Olympics. Kishore’s triumph not only reflects personal excellence but also serves as an inspiration for budding athletes across the country,” CMO quoted Patnaik as saying.
The chief minister also assured all support for Kishore for his preparation for Olympics next year.
On Wednesday, Kishore gave the Olympic and world champion Neeraj Chopra a scare in the javelin final, though the latter prevailed the intense duel to defend his Asian Games gold.
