Vikrant Malik wins javelin throw title in Portugal athletics meet

India’s Vikrant Malik won the men’s javelin throw event at the Meeting Cidade de Lisboa 2024 athletics in Lisbon, Portugal on Saturday.

A Khelo India University Games champion, Vikrant threw 80.30m on his third attempt to take the title at the Estadio Universitario.

The 28-year-old Indian athlete dominated the event, with his first two throws – 71.73m and 74.23m – also leading the charts. He skipped his last three attempts.

Vikrant Malik’s personal best is 81.82m, achieved in Bhubaneshwar late in 2022. Neeraj Chopra owns the national record with 89.94m.

José Escobar of Ecuador finished second in Lisbon with 70.17m and local João Fernandes was third with 69.96m. Sahil Silwal, who won the gold medal in a javelin event in a meet in Slovenia earlier this month, was fifth with 68.11m.

Vikrant recorded a 75.28m throw in Slovenia. His season best, however, is an 81.68m, achieved at the Indian Open Throws Competition in Patiala in March.

The meet in Portugal was a World Athletics Continental Tour Challenger-level event.

In the men’s shot put, Dhanvir Singh finished second with an 18.42m throw behind Rio 2016 Olympian Tsanko Arnaudov, who managed 20.41m.

In the men’s hammer throw, Damneet Singh was third (65.94m). Décio Andrade of Portugal won the event with 70.64m.