India's young javelin sensation Shivpal Singh has signed with IOS Sports & Entertainment, country's leading sports management group. The 24-year-old had made headlines earlier this year when he became only the second javelin thrower to qualify for the Tokyo Olympics. He met the qualifying standard with an 85.47m throw at the ACNW Meeting in Potchefstroom in March.
Shivpal joins the long list of elite athletes managed by IOS, which includes boxing superstars MC Mary Kom and Vijender Singh, IAAF World U-20 Champion in 400m and Asian Games 2018 gold medallist Hima Das, Commonwealth Games 2018 gold medallists Manika Batra, Mirabai Chanu, Asian Games 2018 gold medallist Jinson Johnson, captains of the Indian men's and women's hockey team Manpreet Singh and Rani Rampal respectively and world motor sports champion Aishwarya Pissay.
"I am excited to be part of the IOS Sports family. It is India's leading sports management agency with a reputation of building a solid brand image of athletes over the years. I am looking forward to this great association," Shivpal said after signing with IOS.
"We are delighted to have Shivpal on board. He is an amazing talent and has shown tremendous growth as a javelin thrower in the last few years. We hope to serve him in the best possible way," IOS managing director Neerav Tomar Shivpal.
Hailing from a family of javelin throwers in Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh, Shivpal was destined to pick up the spear. A tradition started by his grandfather, his father Ramasaray and uncles Jagmohan and Shivpujan Singh have all left a mark on the national platform. Jagmohan is also a former national champion.
As a 12-year-old overweight kid, the sport was nothing more than a fitness regime for Shivpal. But under the rigorous tutelage of his uncle Jagmohan, Shivpal slowly honed his skills to finally make his way to the top.
In 2019, Shivpal secured a silver medal at the prestigious Asian Athletics Championships in Doha with a throw of 86.23m, his personal best. He also won the gold medal at the CISM Military World Games 2019 in China with a throw of 83.33m. Shivpal bagged another silver medal in the South Asian Games with an 84.16m throw to end the year on a high.
It was with this splendid form, Shivpal entered the ACNW Meeting this year where his 85.47m throw in the fifth attempt at the McArthur Stadium not only secured the gold medal for him but helped breach the qualifying standard of 85m for the Tokyo Olympics.
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